Journey of the Jinchuriki
by PAN TRUNKS LOVER
Summary: What if Naruto had been taken from Konoha on the night of the Kyuubi attack? How would it change the story? With his identity being kept a secret and danger looming from all sides, our hero embarks on a difficult journey filled with pain and few he can trust. Vowing to always stick to the right path, will he pull through unscathed, or will he perish, like many others before him.
1. Prologue

A/N: I've been looking forward to posting this! This story will be my first Naruto/Kakashi pairing. There will be romance but later on in the story. Even though the rating of this story is currently T, it is highly likely that it might go up later in the story, so please keep this in mind.

Apologies to those who opened this story only to realise it's a Naruto/Kakashi pairing and moved on to the next. I would've stated the coupling in the summary but there wasn't enough space.

For those who don't mind...Please enjoy!

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**Journey of the Jinchuriki**

**Prologue**

On a dark, dark night, a figure ran at full speed through the woods, trying to escape the group of ANBU hot on his tail. Held close to his chest, in a bundle, was a baby, who was currently fast asleep. The baby had short, blonde hair and eyes, when opened, a crystal blue. The child had only been born that night and was already orphaned, with both of his parents dead.

The figure, whose features were hidden by the long, hooded cloak, risked a glance back and frowned. The ANBU were catching up and fast.

Twisting around, the figure quickly performed hand signs with one hand and released one of his most powerful Ninjutsu, before escaping using his Teleportation Jutsu. The ANBU, taken by surprise, barely dodged the powerful attack and when they looked towards where their target had last stood, saw nothing.

On further inspection, they soon discovered that the trail ran cold. There was no sign of the target or the child, anywhere. The Third Hokage was _not_ going to be pleased, at all. They'd failed…

* * *

Somewhere far, far away, the figure stood panting as he glanced at the baby in his arms. Seeing that he was still fast asleep, he sighed in relief. Glancing around once more, he set off into the night, eager to get the child someplace safe. After breathing in this world for only several hours, the child had made the hit list of countless people, who wouldn't hesitate to kill him. There was _no_ other choice. He had to take him and run. It was the least he could do for his best friend, who'd sacrificed his life to save Konoha.

"Don't worry Minato; I will _always_ protect your son. Even if it kills me," he muttered, as he disappeared into the night…

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A/N: I know it's short, but there's more to come! I hope the prologue has caught your attention. Please take the time to review! I really would appreciate some feedback! ^_^


	2. Twelve Years Later

A/N: A big thank you to Iloveninjas, Tazicat12, College6Jazz, Guest, Prescripto13 and TigrezzTail for reviewing.

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**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 1- Twelve years later…**

The alarm clock went off, waking up the sleeping boy. He tiredly sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Glancing at the clock, which displayed 5.30am, he glared momentarily before, with a sigh, tossed the covers aside and got up. Heading towards the bathroom, he showered, brushed his teeth and got dressed. After a quick glance in the mirror, he left the room, making his way towards the training grounds.

"Did you sleep well?" asked the middle-aged man who greeted him.

"Yes, sensei," the blonde-haired boy replied. The man smiled, positioning himself in a fighting stance. The boy followed suit, his blue eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Begin," his master declared and the training session began. The determined boy dodged each blow from his sensei, delivering powerful strikes in return. This continued for a good couple of hours, before it finally came to an end. The boy stood panting, with his sword hovering over his sensei's throat, who lay on the ground unarmed. The man nodded approvingly, opening his mouth to announce the training had ended. The boy moved his sword and helped his sensei up.

"You've come a long way, my boy. I can easily affirm that you've surpassed me. There's nothing more I can teach you," said the man, with a proud look on his face. His student grinned happily as he bowed.

"I have you to thank for all this, sensei," the boy answered, "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be as strong as I am today." The man smiled, eying the boy who was very much like a son.

"Breakfast should be ready soon. I'll join you in a few minutes," he said. The boy nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh, one more thing," called the man. The boy looked back.

"I'm proud of you, Naruto," said the man.

Naruto's eyes instantly brightened, gazing at the man who was like a father to him and smiled. He approached his sensei silently and hugged him. The man's eyes softened. His hand reached forward to pat the boy's head affectionately.

"Run along now. I'm sure you must be hungry," he said. Naruto nodded and left. The man turned away, looking towards the bright, sun-lit sky with a sad smile.

It'd been twelve years exactly since that dreadful night. The night he'd gained a son and lost his best friend. After a long week of travelling, he'd finally reached his destination, the Fire Temple, in the Land of Fire. It was a large monastery, located in an area surrounded by forests. No one, except for the ninja monks who resided there, knew of the exact location. He, on the other hand, was an exception, since he was very close friends with the leader of the monks, Chiriku.

Chiriku had allowed them to hide at the Fire Temple, after he'd explained their situation. Ever since then, he'd been protecting his best friend's son, who'd grown up to be just like his father in appearance and like his mother in personality. He'd chosen to hide the truth from Naruto, not mentioning who his parents really were and where he was from originally. The only thing Naruto had been told was that he'd been his father's best friend, who'd raised him after the death of his parents.

Naruto knew all about the Kyuubi's spirit inside him. He'd decided to come clean two years ago when, during their training, Naruto had released the Kyuubi's Chakra for the very first time. Even after witnessing firsthand what the Kyuubi's powers were capable of twelve years ago, he'd still been taken back. The fact that Naruto's body had the ability to heal itself was another thing that'd surprised him, which he discovered when they'd first started training. The last two years had been spent teaching Naruto to harness the Kyuubi's Chakra, so he was able to access it if the need arose.

It'd been difficult, coming close to almost being killed several times. Luckily, he had some knowledge of binding seals, all thanks to Minato, and was able to disrupt the Kyuubi's Chakra flow instantly.

"Minoru…"

Chiriku appeared, snapping him out of his thoughts. Minoru turned to face his friend, who carried a look of understanding on his face.

"Thinking about the past again?" His friend asked him.

"I guess so," he sighed, "Time sure does travel fast. I can't believe twelve years have passed already."

Chiriku nodded in agreement. "It's Naruto's birthday today, isn't it?"

"That's right. It's October 10th."

"What are you going to gift him?" Chiriku enquired, looking expectant at his friend.

Minoru smiled. "I was going to gift him my Dragon Blade."

"I thought you would eventually," Chiriku smiled, not at all surprised, "Naruto's had his eyes on it for a while now."

"He wields it better than I do anyway," his eyes lit up with affection, shaking his head lightly in awe, "Sometimes; I wonder if there's anything the kid can't do."

Chiriku chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "You should go and see him now. The call for breakfast came a while ago."

"I'll come see you as soon as I'm done," he turned to leave. "I need to talk to you about something important."

Chiriku nodded, watching him walking away...

* * *

Naruto sat in the small dining hall, waiting for Minoru-sensei. As usual, he was _late_. They'd finished training fifteen minutes ago and he was still not here. Looking towards the entrance, his eyes landed on two monks, who'd just walked in. They smiled in his direction, when he raised a hand in greeting. After helping themselves to breakfast, they came over to join him.

"Naruto, I see Minoru is late, like always," said Aki. Naruto nodded, looking resigned.

"That man will never change," Osuma chuckled.

"I heard that," said Minoru, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"Minoru-sensei, you're late, _again_," Naruto complained.

"Sorry kid, I was with Chiriku," Minoru explained, ruffling his hair affectionately and then walked away. He returned less than a minute later, carrying two bowls of freshly-made ramen. He placed one in front of Naruto and smiled, seeing him perk up excitedly.

"Ramen! My favourite," he cried out happily.

"Eat as much as you like, Naruto. It is your birthday today, after all," Minoru announced cheerfully. Naruto grinned, before starting to eat eagerly. The other two monks flinched inwardly, forgetting that it was indeed Naruto's birthday today.

"Happy birthday, Naruto!" they chorused together.

"Thank you," Naruto replied, grinning happily. After eating breakfast, they separated once more. Minoru explained he needed to speak with Chiriku and left, leaving Naruto alone.

As usual, Naruto felt a pang of loneliness deep inside him, teleporting himself to his favourite spot. It was a beautiful garden with dozens of coloured flowers. Whenever he came here, he felt at peace. The atmosphere and the scent of the flowers always helped to soothe the solitude he felt.

Today, however, he felt it more strongly than ever and it was getting worse by the day. After spending twelve years of his life inside the Fire Temple, he was beginning to undergo suffocation. It was as if he was _imprisoned_. The need to get out, see the world and meet new people, was driving him insane.

He'd hinted several times, but each time Minoru-sensei had changed the subject. He couldn't understand why he had to stay here all the time. There was no one of his age who he could associate with and the people here hardly gave him the time of day. It wasn't that he didn't love them, of course he did. He cared greatly about all of them and they always put a smile on his face. It was just…the need to fill the loneliness he felt.

Since the age of seven, he'd been training non-stop and as he grew older, slowly drifted closer towards his dream. It was a dream to become stronger than his sensei. After five years of continuous training, his dream had finally come true. Minoru-sensei had declared that he, Naruto Uzumaki, had finally surpassed him.

Now that he'd accomplished his goal, he longed for all the other things he desired, for a very long time now…

* * *

Over at Konoha, the Third Hokage stood on the balcony of the Hokage Tower, overlooking the village. His gaze drifted to the Hokage Mountain, staring at the carved out face of the Fourth Hokage and sighed despairingly. Today, exactly twelve years ago, he'd failed.

The Fourth Hokage had given his life to save Konoha, sealing the Kyuubi into his newborn son, hoping the villagers would look upon him as a hero. Unfortunately, nothing like that'd happened. Instead, his son had been kidnapped hours after the death of his parents and they hadn't been able to rescue him.

Minoru Yasui had been the one behind the kidnapping and he'd been the Fourth Hokage's childhood friend. Even after searching non-stop for several years, they'd found no clue of his whereabouts. It was like he'd disappeared altogether.

Twelve years had passed and he still hadn't come up with a reason why Minoru had kidnapped the child. He was a good man. Minoru had always treated Minato as if he was his own brother and Kushina like a sister. It didn't make any sense whatsoever.

Nevertheless he'd failed and knew this was one failure which wouldn't let him rest in peace, even in his grave when the time came…

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Minoru is an OC I invented to make the story work. I will be updating this story every Friday, from now on. Please review! Thank you for taking the time to read this. ^_^


	3. The Journey Begins

A/N: I would like to thank College6Jazz, OrangeLamb, Iluvninjas, Precripto13, TigrezzTail, Alec McDowell and Mcnitra for reviewing the last chapter.

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**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 2 - The Journey Begins…**

"Chiriku, I think it's time I take Naruto out of here," Minoru announced, settling down opposite his friend, "He's more than capable of taking care of himself. I think he's ready to see more of the world."

Chiriku smiled, noting the seriousness in his friend's eyes. "A wise decision," he nodded approvingly, "I was actually going to suggest it myself."

"I can tell he feels suffocated here and I don't blame him. It has been twelve years, after all," Minoru shook his head lightly. "I can't even remember the last time I left this place."

"So, what is it you have planned? Where are you going to take him?"

"I don't know," Minoru sighed, "Maybe we could just travel for a couple of years and let him see what's out there."

Chiriku examined his friend, quickly picking up on the stress radiating off his tensed body. There was something else that was bothering him. "What is it, Minoru?" he looked concerned. "I know something else is troubling you."

Minoru heaved a sigh, the anxiety finally reaching his eyes. "It's Naruto… I'm worried someone will recognise who he is. What if they're _still_ looking for him, after all these years?"

The tension suddenly made him look years older, Chiriku noted, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, my friend," he assured him. "Naruto is _very_ mature for someone his age. If you explain the dangers to him, I'm sure he'll understand."

"You're right," Minoru exhaled out loud, his body relaxing somewhat; "I guess I'm thinking _too_ much over this. I will talk to Naruto about this tonight and we'll make preparations to leave in three days, giving me enough time to sort everything out…"

* * *

Later on in the evening, Minoru went looking for Naruto. He found him sparring with one of the ninja monks in the training grounds. He stood to one side, silently observing his every move and smiled. For someone his age, Naruto was an exceptional ninja. His Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu skills were remarkable.

In the beginning, he'd found it hard to learn even the basics of Genjutsu. Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, on the other hand, were his stronger points. It'd taken countless years of training to achieve the end results. With his incredible stamina and the will to never give up, it was expected.

He'd taught him everything he knew; silently watching in awe as he perfected it all. The ninja monks had also contributed, teaching him some of their own skills. They treated him like one of their own after he'd won over their hearts, one by one.

He was just as talented as his father, maybe more so. Minato would've been proud for sure if he could see him right now. Naruto had definitely come a long way.

The fight ended, bringing him out of his thoughts. Naruto turned to face him, smiling wearily, as he approached him.

"Naruto, I need to talk to you," he said, gesturing at him to follow. Naruto nodded, trailing after him silently. He led the way towards his room, shutting the door closed once they'd entered. He motioned towards the bed, where Naruto took a seat.

"I wanted to give you your birthday present," he explained, noticing the curiosity reflected in the boy's eyes. Naruto perked up with enthusiasm, looking very eager. Minoru walked towards the Dragon Sword, which was hanging on the wall, and took it down.

"From today onwards, this belongs to you," he said, handing the sword over. The eagerness vanished from the boy's eyes, only to be replaced with sheer astonishment.

"Are you sure_,_ sensei? This sword belonged to your ancestors," Naruto looked perplexed as he accepted it with shaking hands.

"Naruto, you're like a son to me," he placed a firm hand on his head, "This sword is rightfully _your_s. I couldn't think of anyone who deserved it more."

A big grin appeared on Naruto's face. Seconds later, Minoru felt a small body hugging him.

"Thank you, sensei. This means _so_ much."

Minoru returned the hug, deciding to surprise him with the other news. "Also, we're leaving the Fire Temple in three days. I think it's time you see the world outside."

Naruto froze, gazing up at him in disbelief. "_Really_? Are you being serious?" he demanded, his eyes wide.

Minoru nodded, confirming that he was indeed serious. Immediately, the smile on the boy's face grew.

"I can't believe it," Naruto's face glowed with happiness, "This is like the _best_ day ever!"

Minoru held up a hand, silencing him. "Naruto, there are several rules I need to make clear and you have to _promise_ me that you'll follow them at _all _times…"

* * *

Three days later, Naruto and Minoru bid farewell to their friends at the Fire Temple.

"You're always welcome to come back anytime," Chiriku reminded them.

"Thank you, my friend," Minoru answered with a grateful smile. Naruto moved to hug Chiriku, who welcomed the gesture. He gazed at the boy affectionately, his eyes filled with emotion. They pulled apart, Naruto's eyes watering somewhat.

"I'm going to miss all of you…" he said, his blue eyes sorrowful.

"We're going to miss you too, Naruto. Take care of yourself." Chiriku smiled, letting go of him. Naruto nodded, looking at all of them one last time. All his friends had gathered to see them off. He'd already said his goodbyes to all of them last night. They'd been devastated to hear the news, but agreed his sensei was doing the right thing.

Eventually, they turned away, making their way outside the gates. Naruto struggled to keep all the excitement contained inside him, but it really was quite difficult. The past three days had dragged consistently. As much as it pained him to leave all his friends behind, he couldn't help feeling happy at the same time. He was _finally_ getting what he wanted for so long.

"I hope you remember everything I said..." Minoru reminded him.

"Don't worry, sensei," his blue eyes determined, "I made a promise, didn't I? You know I never break my word."

Minoru smiled. As they drifted deeper into the forest, all conversation stopped as they gazed around keenly and so their journey begins…

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A/N: Well, what do you think of the new turn of events? Were any of you expecting this? Please review, because I love getting feedback! Come on, you know you want to! :D


	4. Four Years Later

A/N: A big thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. That'd be you NINjaJuUtsu, Silvermane1, TigrezzTail, Loretta537 and Yin and Yang! :D

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**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 3 – Four Years Later…**

In a not so crowded bar, somewhere in the Fire Country, two figures sat opposite each other, looking very much out of place.

One of them was dressed completely in black. He wore a hooded, black top with black combats. Covering his head and face was a mask. The only features visible were his blue eyes, which peered out from small slits. The man sat opposite him was dressed just as mysteriously with his long, hooded cloak. Both men, continuously, scanned their surroundings inconspicuously.

"Nothing, so far," Naruto commented quietly.

Minoru nodded in agreement. They noticed one of the workers heading towards them, carrying their orders on a tray. Naruto sighed inwardly, seeing the fascinated look she gave him. Placing their orders on the table, she leaned towards him, flashing her cleavage.

"Is there anything _else_ I can get for you?" she flirted.

"No thanks," he responded coolly. She backed off, startled by the coldness in his voice.

"Oh…um…okay," her cheeks quickly flamed red with embarrassment, "Hope you enjoy your food." They watched as she hurried away, looking humiliated.

Minoru chuckled quietly. "There was no need for that," he pointed out.

Naruto responded with a careless shrug. Minoru shook his head lightly, noting in amusement that he'd rejected five women who'd approached their table since they'd walked in half an hour ago.

"You didn't have to reject _all_ of them. You could've at least been nicer about it," Minoru teased.

Naruto ignored him blatantly, not in the least interested. He glanced around once more, before pulling his mask up from the neck and started to eat. The women had been eyeing him up for a while now, waiting eagerly for a glimpse of his face. They stared in wonder at his kissable, well-defined lips, silently wishing they could get a taste of them.

He was tall, with a lean body any guy would kill for and the way he presented himself, looking all mysterious, was enough to capture their attention. His soulful blue eyes, so piercing and cool, were like the icing on the cake. Nearly all the women present wanted those eyes on them.

As he ate, Naruto felt movement close by and stiffened. Minoru kept his head down, having sensed the approaching figure as well. The mask went down instantly, hiding the boy's features. When a firm hand landed on his shoulder, he looked up. A man much older than him, glared back angrily.

"Can I help you?" Naruto asked coolly.

The man narrowed his eyes immediately. "Yeah, I want you to get the fuck out of here, _right now_," he answered in a hate-filled voice.

"And if I don't…?" Naruto replied calmly.

"Then, I'll _rip_ you apart," the man growled.

Naruto smirked underneath the mask. With incredible speed, he grabbed hold of the hand on his shoulder and twisted hard, breaking it.

The man screamed, clutching his broken wrist. "_YOU BASTARD!_" he yelled, moving to attack him again.

Naruto was ready. He appeared behind him, grabbing hold of both of his arms and pushed him to the ground, pressing his knee painfully into his back. The guy whimpered, immediately begging to be released. Everyone else in the bar observed the scene in silence, clearly shocked and amazed by what was happening.

"I don't want any more trouble. Have I made myself clear?" Naruto asked steadily. The man nodded straight away and was released. He stood up quickly and rushed out. Naruto shook his head in disgust, sitting back down.

"Nice work," Minoru smiled amusedly, "This time you managed to sort things out _without_ breaking anything."

Naruto grinned underneath his mask, remembering what'd happened the last time someone had dared to attack him.

"We'd better hurry up and leave," Minoru sighed, "Trouble might just be on the way."

After dumping some cash on the table, they got up, heading towards the exit. By the time they'd reached it, _trouble_ had already appeared in the form of five heavily-muscled guys.

"Sensei, leave this to me. I'll meet you back at the hotel room," said Naruto, narrowing his eyes at the five guys who were glaring at him.

"Fine," Minoru replied, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"Okay guys, let's take this outside," Naruto told them, boredom dripping from his tone.

"Sure, why not? I'm going to enjoy breaking every bone in your body," said one of them, flashing him a smirk.

"If you say so," Naruto responded nonchalantly. They headed outside, where a crowd had already formed, sensing there was a fight. People from inside the bar had come outside to watch, as well. They slowly formed a circle around him, trying to intimidate him. Unfortunately, Naruto just stared back, completely at ease.

"I should warn you. You're going to regret this," he warned them. All five of them burst out laughing.

"The only person who's going to regret anything is you kid," said one of them.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and phased out, delivering quick, clean moves. Ten seconds later, all five of them lay unconscious on the ground. The crowd just stared, totally gobsmacked.

"Hey, what the hell just happened? I didn't even _see_ him move," someone cried out.

Murmurs of agreement were heard as Naruto began walking away. Sensing someone's eyes on him, he looked to the right, up ahead and saw a masked man looking closely at him. He had his back against the wall, a book opened in one hand. Naruto recognised the latest Icha Icha book cover. He had long, spiky, silver hair and was wearing a Konoha headband which covered one eye of his. Judging by the flak jacket, he was either a Jounin or a Chunin. Cursing silently, Naruto kept his cool, looking away casually.

"That was quite impressive," the man commented when Naruto had reached him.

Naruto nodded, not bothering to speak. He continued walking ahead in silence. The guy didn't remark any further, continuing to observe him until he'd turned the corner. Naruto could feel his gaze burning into his back. He resisted the urge to teleport out of there, sighing in relief when he'd turned the corner. Seconds later, he appeared in his hotel room, where his sensei waited.

"We need to leave," Naruto announced, "I just saw a ninja from Konoha."

Minoru perked up instantly. Within minutes, they'd grabbed their belongings and checked out. It was a good thing it was getting dark already, lessening their chances of being seen. The streets were still busy, but no one paid any attention to them as they leapt from roof to roof, heading out of the small village…

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A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review! Until next Friday… ^_^


	5. The Copy Ninja

A/N: I'm _so_ happy to see such good response for this story. A big thank you to Darkryus, Silvermane1, Tazicat12, DoubleAron83, TigrezzTail, Sanz0girl and Prescripto13 for reviewing the last chapter! I really appreciate all the follows and favourites, too! :D

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**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 4 – The Copy Ninja…**

After a short while, they finally stopped, deciding to take a break. They were surrounded by trees from all sides and there were no signs of anyone about. This caused them to relax, but not enough to let their guard down.

"Did you get a good look at him?" Minoru asked, setting his rucksack down. Naruto dropped down against a tree, pulling off his own bag.

"Yeah," he responded tiredly, "He had silver hair and a Konoha headband covering one eye…" He paused, hearing his sensei exhale sharply.

"_What did you say?_" He demanded as if he hadn't heard right. Naruto frowned at his reaction.

"I said, he had silver hair and a Konoha headband covering one eye," he repeated slowly. Minoru's face paled, all expression leaving his face. He dropped heavily onto the ground next to him.

"What is it, sensei_?_ Do you know who he is?" Naruto questioned, turning to face him. He took in the anxiety clearly expressed in his sensei's eyes, his own quickly narrowing in concern.

"Kakashi Hatake…" Minoru muttered quietly.

"Kakashi Hatake?" Naruto repeated, looking confused.

"He used to be your father's student," Minoru explained, turning his head round to face him. Naruto's eyes widened, evidently stunned.

Memories of the day Minoru had told him the truth, almost a year ago, returned to haunt him...

* * *

_Like always, they travelled from one place to another over the past couple of years. They never stuck around, quickly moving on, in fear of being noticed or worse, recognised. _

_That particular day hadn't been any different. They'd decided to spend the night at a small village, booking a room at one of the local hotels. Due to a pounding headache, he wanted to get some rest. Minoru-sensei, on the other hand, said he was going out for a little while and left. _

_After having a quick shower, he got into bed, but couldn't sleep. Deciding to find some painkillers to cure the headache, he opened Minoru-sensei's bag, where their medical supplies were kept. It was then he spotted it, a small photo album. _

_He'd never seen it before and, out of sheer curiosity, opened it. _

_Inside he saw a picture of a much younger Minoru-sensei with a blonde-haired guy who looked strangely familiar. As he turned the pages, there were more and more pictures of the two, a red-haired woman popping up occasionally. _

_One picture, in particular, held his attention for a good couple of minutes. It was the blonde-haired guy with his arms wrapped around the red-haired woman. She was pregnant. _

_Very slowly, he turned the page and stared. It was the blonde-haired guy again. This time he was wearing a white jacket with red designs near the bottom. None of that really held his attention; in fact it was what was written on the back of his jacket that did. _

_Fourth Hokage._

_The next picture was of the blonde-haired guy wearing his white jacket and Minoru-sensei, who was wearing a flak jacket with a Konoha headband on his head. He had no idea how long he spent glancing at that picture and it was like this his sensei found him. _

_There was a sharp intake of breath, causing him to snap out of his reverie. He looked up to see his sensei, frozen in shock, as he gaped at the photo album in his hand._

"_Who are these people and why are you wearing a Konoha headband in this picture?" he asked quietly, looking back at the photo album. There was no answer. Eventually, he heard a weary sigh._

"_I guess I have no choice," Minoru-sensei replied distraughtly, "I can't hide the truth from you any longer." _

"_Truth…? What truth?" He demanded, feeling his stomach twist uneasily. Minoru-sensei appeared beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder._

"_Naruto," his sensei began, his tone grim, "The blonde-haired man is Minato Namikaze and the woman is Kushina Uzumaki. They are your parents." The photo album dropped from his hand as he gawked at his sensei, completely dumbfounded. _

"_M-My parents…?" He whispered, his voice reflecting disbelief. With trembling hands, he picked up the photo album and reopened it. His eyes landed on the pictures, staring at them in awe. _

"_That's right," Minoru-sensei answered, his tone gentle, "I'm sorry… I wanted to tell you the truth, but couldn't. Your father was the Fourth Hokage of Konoha. He died the day you were born, along with your mother. You see…" He began explaining everything. How his mother had been the carrier of the Kyuubi spirit before him and how the seal had broken, probably due to giving birth. The Kyuubi was then released and attacked Konoha. Using his Reaper Death Seal, his father sealed half of the Kyuubi's power inside his own body, sealing the other half in his son and passed away. He had no choice, since it wasn't physically possible for him to seal it all inside himself. The Kyuubi's power had been too much. _

"…_When I finally reached them, your parents were dead. You were lying there fast asleep. I picked you up and held you in my arms, mourning for the loss of your parents. I knew then, that I would be the one to take care of you, raising you like my own son. _

_The Third Hokage respected my wishes and allowed me to take you home. It was later on when I went to see him that I overhead his conversation with the two members of Council and elder, Danzo Shimura. They wanted you dead, claiming you were extremely dangerous. They were worried that the seal wouldn't hold, since you were only a day old._

_I didn't stick around to hear any further and hurried back to find you. There was no way I was going to let them kill you, so I decided to leave the village, taking you with me." _

_He was astounded; there was no doubt about it. Hearing the truth about his past had shocked him into silence. He didn't even react when he felt arms enveloping him, pulling him close. _

_Several hours later, he still hadn't reacted. Minoru-sensei's words kept repeating over and over in his head until they finally registered. _

_His eyes welled up for the first time in ages. He didn't even notice, but Minoru-sensei did. _

"_Naruto…" Hearing the pain in his sensei's voice was the last straw. The tears fell rapidly, blurring his vision. _

_He cried for the parents he'd never known. He cried at the unfairness of the whole situation. Minoru-sensei was there the entire time, comforting him…_

* * *

"_Naruto_," Minoru shook him, seeing the familiar look of pain in his eyes, "snap out of it." Naruto sighed deeply, returning to the present.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking distracted.

"Don't worry about it," Minoru replied softly. A moment of silence passed. Minoru waited patiently for the questions he knew would come.

"Sensei," Naruto turned to face him, "I'd like to know more about this Kakashi guy." Minoru smiled knowingly.

"Kakashi was a member of Team Minato, which was led by your father." He began, "There were two others, Obito and Rin. During the Third Shinobi World War, Minato and his team were given the mission to destroy the Kannabi Bridge. They separated in order to accomplish their goal. However, Kakashi and the other two ran into some trouble, which eventually led to the death of Obito.

You mentioned Kakashi wore his headband, covering one eye? Well, the reason for that is, during the fight, he lost his left eye. Obito, who originated from the Uchiha Clan, had activated his Sharingan in the fight. Before dying, he had his left Sharingan taken out to replace Kakashi's damaged one.

As the years went by, Kakashi became famously known as the Copy Ninja with the Sharingan. With it, rumour has it; he's copied _over_ a thousand Jutsus. He's one of the best Jounin in Konoha."

"He definitely sounds like it," Naruto commented, looking thoughtful, "I wonder if_ I_ could take him on?" Minoru chuckled, noticing the interest in his blue eyes.

"It's possible," he said with a smile, "Nothing's unattainable for you, not with _your_ stamina…"

* * *

A/N: Please review! Go on, push that button…you know you want to! ^_^


	6. Unexpected Encounter

A/N: A big thank you to Iluvninjas, Silvermane1, Cows0816, KitElizaKing, Prescritpo13, J0hnni and Ramen-luver101 for reviewing the last chapter. As for the people who didn't, hopefully this time you will! Go on, I _love _getting feedback!

Thank you, J0hnni, for pointing out the mistakes I made in the previous two chapters. I made sure to correct them! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 5 – Unexpected Encounter**

That night Naruto took first watch, while Minoru-sensei slept. He sat on one of the tree branches, leaning back comfortably as he gazed up at the night sky. It was a warm night for a change. The moon hung high in the sky, a perfect silver disk, bleaching the land into a ghost-like replica of daytime. The stars surrounded it, twinkling brightly, just like they did every night.

The familiar sight brought a sense of peace, causing a smile to grace his face. For a moment, no matter how brief it was, it actually helped him disregard all his troubles. Though when it had passed, he felt his head pile up with them _again_.

They'd been wandering from one place to another for more than four years now. During that time period, he'd pretty much seen what the world was like. Even now, after all this time, he still couldn't decide whether or not it'd been a good idea to leave the Fire Temple all those years back.

He'd seen things that'd brought a smile to his face. Almost instantly, his mind conjured up flashbacks…

_Happy families, who clearly loved each other… children he'd seen laughing… friends teasing each other… people helping one another… complete strangers being nice…_

Then there'd been the bad things, as well. Things that'd shocked him, completely ruining the whole peaceful image…

_Destroyed families… children crying… widows… orphans… poverty… hate… revenge… death… fighting… enmity… destruction… torture… cruelty… prejudice... war…_

The list just seemed to _never_ end…

It soon became painfully obvious to him that the world he'd spent most of his childhood wanting to see wasn't as peaceful as he'd hoped. This conclusion filled him with a deep sense of sadness and somewhat regret.

There was too much hate in their world, more than he thought was healthy. Seeing firsthand what that hate was capable of, had left his head reeling for days.

It was a blessing to know that people like his father had existed, who'd sacrificed their lives for the sake of their loved ones without any hesitation. He was proud of what his father had done. It could only take a great man to do such an honourable deed.

As soon as the thought left him, he felt empty, _totally_ empty. He had no aim, no purpose in life and it was driving him insane.

Minoru-sensei was getting old as well; he couldn't keep running from one place to another forever. It wouldn't be fair! After taking care of him, for the past sixteen years or so, he _deserved_ a break. Though, no matter what he did, absolutely nothing could compare to what his sensei had done for him. The man had ditched everything for his sake. His home, his duties, his life, _everything_… He'd sacrificed it all, just to keep him from harm. The least he could do now was give a little back.

But what could he do? He'd asked himself this question a thousand times. _Nothing_ had come to mind, at all…

It was difficult, considering their situation. With Minoru-sensei listed as a Rogue-nin, they couldn't even risk staying in one place for more than a day or two. It was also the reason why they had to dress so mysteriously. He'd been lumbered with the mask as soon as they'd seen the wanted posters, while sensei had opted to wear a cloak. It didn't help that he resembled his father so much. If any of the ninja from Konoha had recognised either of them, they would've been in a mess.

He sighed, looking down at his sensei, who was currently fast asleep. Seeing the peaceful look on his face, Naruto's eyes softened considerably.

He wasn't going to give up, _no way!_ Maybe not right now, but one day, the answer would come to him, he was _sure_ of it. There was no way he was letting his sensei down, not after everything the man had done for him. He was his sensei's student and the son of the late Fourth Hokage, after all.

Suddenly, his keen hearing picked up sounds of screaming and stood up instantly. Looking down at his sensei, who was still asleep, he decided not to wake him, rapidly going through the hand signs to create a Genjutsu barrier around him. This way if anyone happened to pass by, they wouldn't be able to see him.

Turning away, Naruto strapped his sword holder onto his back, heading in the direction he'd heard the yelling. As he neared, he began to feel uneasy. Judging from the Chakra signatures he was picking up, there were six of them in total. He hid behind a tree, looking out at the open field, where he could see what was going on without being seen. He'd already hidden his Chakra signature, so no one would be able to detect him.

The first person he noticed was Kakashi Hatake. He stood in front of a wounded pink-haired, young woman, who was currently healing herself. Standing close to them were two dark-haired males, who looked worn out as well. One of them had the Sharingan, he concluded. All four of them stood facing two other guys, who were obviously the enemy.

"Give up, Deidara. You're _not_ going to get away this time," Kakashi called out, his Sharingan eye visible. Deidara threw back his head and started to laugh.

"Oh, give it a rest,_ Hatake_," he replied, highly confident, "You can't defeat us. We're _too_ powerful."

"We'll see about that," Kakashi answered coolly, before the fight began. He went straight for the hunchback wearing a mask, with the pink-haired woman bringing up the rear. The two dark-haired guys settled for Deidara.

"Sasori, my man," Deidara smirked, his right hand moving suspiciously, "let's take these fools down."

With that said, he threw what looked like shaped clay at them. They jumped out of the way just in time as whatever it was exploded. A large white bird swooped down out of nowhere. Deidara jumped on top of it, taking to the air. One of the dark-haired guys took out a scroll, quickly creating a large bird made of ink. Both guys jumped on, chasing after him.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and the pink-haired woman were having trouble with Sasori, who was actually a puppet with a lethal tail. He released numerous poisoned needles from his mouth as Kakashi and the pink-haired woman attempted to dodge them. He observed Kakashi powering up a Lightning Jutsu in his hand, heading straight for Sasori. The lethal tail shot out, directly making contact with Kakashi. A wooden log appeared, indicating he'd used a Substitution Jutsu.

"_Sakura_," Kakashi called out, "_NOW!_"

The pink-haired woman, who it turns out was called Sakura, appeared behind Sasori, launching a Chakra enhanced fist into his back. The puppet disbanded, pieces flying all over the place. A figure dressed in a hooded, black cloak appeared from inside, landing on the ground a small distance away. Kakashi and Sakura waited for whoever it was to expose their face. When the hood finally lowered, they looked taken aback. A red-haired teenage boy with brown eyes looked back at them.

"I must commend you on destroying Hiruko," Sasori commented calmly, "However; this is only just the beginning." From his sleeve he pulled out a scroll which he opened. There was a poof of smoke as another puppet appeared. Kakashi's eyes widened, as if he recognised it.

"_That's the Third Kazekage_," he remarked, looking stunned. Sasori nodded, completely unfazed. He twisted around, launching the puppet at them. It came at them, with incredible speed, only just giving them the chance to blink. As it neared them, the arm lashed out, releasing poisoned, sharp blades. They barely leapt out of the way as the blades connected with the ground mere seconds later.

While they were still on the move, the other arm shot out, releasing dozens of hands which shot forward. They were headed straight for Sakura. Kakashi managed to push her out of the way at the very last second with the help of a Clone, As soon as it was hit, the Clone vanished.

Naruto looked on, his eyes narrowed, when the air abruptly filled with purple smoke, _poisoned_ smoke to be exact. Kakashi had no time to shout out a warning, closing his mouth instantly. Sakura, on the other hand, had managed to get herself tangled up in ropes and was trapped. Kakashi made a move to help her, but was in a predicament of his own. The puppet had released what looked strangely like black coloured sand and it was headed straight for him…

* * *

A/N: Hmm, bet none of you were expecting a fight so early in the story! Please review! I'll be looking forward to reading them. ^_^


	7. Sasori's End

A/N: Another early update for you guys, seeing as I won't have my laptop on Friday. Like always, I want to thank the lovely people who took the time to review the last chapter - Iluvninjas, Prescripto13, KitElizaKing, Cows0816, Williamsangel88, Evans 4 life, Silvermane1, TigrezzTail and Imperial queen. You guys are simply the best! Please continue to motivate me with your feedback and I'll do my best to give you early updates! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 6 – Sasori's End...**

Naruto couldn't stand by and watch any longer. Holding his breath, he teleported himself into the air, directly above the purple smoke and jumped in. Using his sword, he slashed the ropes and grabbed hold of Sakura, teleporting them out of there. He set her down nearby as she stared wide-eyed at him, clearly shocked.

"Stay here," he told her, before she could speak. Turning back to the fight, he saw that Kakashi had dodged the dark coloured sand and was looking back at him. Obviously, he'd recognised him from earlier, judging from the surprise in his eye.

Sasori had already launched his next move, creating pointed spears out of the black substance. They were rotating in circles above Kakashi's head and seconds later, headed directly for him.

He instantly created Shadow Clones to take the fall, pushing Kakashi out of the way. They hit the ground hard. Without wasting another second, he got back on his feet. Sasori was eyeing him with a frown.

"And who may you be?" he asked.

"You don't need to worry about that," Naruto replied, glancing up at the black stuff in the air, which was already forming into large blocks. He immediately formed an army of Shadow Clones. They appeared in front of him, promptly setting up a large protective barrier. The blocks came at full speed and each of his Clones took the fall, while he went for the actual puppet.

Releasing his sword, he filled it to the brink with his Chakra and, displaying skilful movements, he executed about a dozen rapid strikes, tearing the puppet to pieces. The black substance instantly deformed, falling to the ground.

A look of surprise came upon Sasori's face as silence followed.

"You really are something, kid," he eventually spoke, "To have destroyed the Third Kazekage, is quite a feat. I guess I have no choice. I haven't used this, since I've joined the Akatsuki." Naruto looked on; as he began unbuttoning the cloak he wore. When the cloak dropped to the ground, everyone looked astonished.

"You turned yourself into a puppet," Naruto stated, narrowing his eyes as he looked him over. Two sets of spinning, knifed claws appeared from behind Sasori's back, as a long, thick and poisoned drenched cable unwound itself from his opened stomach cavity. On top of that, there was poison covering the knifed claws, as well. Looking at his face, he noticed the look in Sasori's eyes had changed. A look only a _crazed_ maniac would have.

His hands came up, releasing intense fire, which Naruto dodged. Kakashi had leapt out of the way, too. However, much to their surprise, the fire followed them, not giving them the chance to attack or think. All they could do was keep avoiding it. Just as quickly though, he began releasing jets of water. When Naruto evaded it, he noticed it had enough force to tear through the ground and frowned.

"You can't keep dodging forever," Sasori pointed out, the maniacal look in his eyes increasing. While they were busy avoiding getting hit by the deadly rush of water, Sasori released his poisoned cable, its end shaped like a stinger.

"_WATCH OUT!_" Naruto called out a warning when he noticed the stinger was headed straight for Sakura. Moving as fast as he could, he pushed her out of the way. Nevertheless, it hadn't been quick enough. The stinger had managed to slice through the skin near his hip. Stifling back a cry, he dropped to his knees. Sakura looked on in disbelief, hurrying to his side.

"Are you okay?" she asked, voice filled with concern as she examined the wound. He ignored her, looking towards Sasori, who was headed straight for them. Kakashi, unexpectedly, appeared in front of him.

"_Move_," he said, with his Lightning Jutsu ready.

"_NO!_" Naruto pressed, clenching his teeth from the pain, "Let me distract him. Then, you can attack him."

"Don't be _stupid_," Kakashi responded disapprovingly, "You're hurt."

"It's the _only_ way," Naruto struggled to his feet, "The cable's covered with poison and I've already been hit." He created Shadow Clones and they leapt into the air, grabbing hold of the long cable.

"_NOW!_" he signalled. Kakashi reappeared behind Sasori, launching the Lightning Jutsu into his back. The puppet instantly dropped to the ground, parts of him falling to pieces.

Naruto hit the ground as well, feeling the poison take effect.

"I have an antidote," Sakura hurried to his side, "Don't worry, you'll be fine." She took out a vial, removing its lid, quickly injecting the contents into his body. After a couple of minutes, he began to feel slightly better. The pain was still there, but it was bearable.

"Thanks," he looked at her.

"I have you to thank, as well," she smiled, "You saved my life, _twice_." He nodded, looking to where Kakashi stood, peering at the puppet. To his shock, he saw the puppet putting itself back together. Standing up, he appeared beside Kakashi, who glanced at him sideways.

"It's not over yet," Sasori commented when he was whole again. A scroll appeared from behind his back and he opened it.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Naruto heard Kakashi mutter. They all stared wide eyed as dozens of puppets emerged. Each of them carried swords in their hands.

Naruto cracked a smirk, immediately creating a thousand Shadow Clones. Sasori arched an eyebrow and released his puppets. The battle commenced once more. Naruto's Clones attacked the puppets head on, while he worked on getting through them to Sasori.

Eventually he did, drawing his sword, which was overflowing to the edge with Chakra, and pierced through the left part of his chest. His action caused the puppets to drop to the ground. Sasori fell to the the ground, as well, after Naruto had pulled the sword back out.

"How did you figure out his weak point?" Kakashi asked, coming up behind him.

"It's simple," Naruto explained, glancing down at Sasori, "He needed Chakra to control the puppets. I detected the Chakra coming from that one part of him which was still human, the device in his left side." Turning around, he looked towards them. They stared right back.

"Who are you?" Sakura finally asked. He noticed the curiosity apparent in her eyes and tone.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that," Naruto hesitated. Kakashi took a step forward.

"Why not?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I don't have to answer that, either," Naruto turned away, "I should get going now." They didn't try stopping him.

"At least tell us why you helped us," Kakashi called as he began walking away. Naruto paused, looking back at him.

"I couldn't help it," he replied softly. With that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke…

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked the fight! It took me a while, having to reflect on Sakura and Grandma Chiyo's fight with Sasori. Though I think it came together nicely. _Please _review! I really would appreciate it, _a lot_!

Go on…push that button! Put a smile on my face! ^_^


	8. Intuition

A/N: Another early update… I was bored, so got typing!

Your reviews _definitely_ put a smile on my face! I'm glad you approved of the fight scene, since I was a little worried. A big thank you to Iluvninjas, Guest, Silvermane1, Prescripto13, KitElizaKing, Cows0816, Williamsangel88, Guest and Sammiieeoo for reviewing. Seeing the same people continuously reviewing, without fail, is very motivating. It's the reason why I update early, to show my appreciation. Thank you _so_ much! :D

Also, from now on, I want to give you the chance to earn quick updates. All you have to do is review 20 times for each chapter to receive the next update _immediately!_

If it doesn't reach the 20 mark, then I'll continue to update every Friday like I'd normally do. _Hundreds_ of people read this story, so it's not too much to ask!

So, if you want early updates, get reviewing! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 7 – Intuition**

Minoru looked up, visibly relieved, when he felt Naruto's presence. Though it was short lived when he saw the boy's condition.

"_Naruto_," he hurried to his side, "what the hell happened?" Naruto sighed, leaning heavily against the tree.

"I heard screaming and went to investigate," he explained, slightly amused, "There was a fight going on. I ended up getting involved and got injured in the process." Minoru exhaled out loud, examining his wounds. They were already healing, even the nasty one near his hip.

"You can't keep doing this, Naruto," Minoru scolded, his eyes narrowed disapprovingly, "Your safety is _more_ important. What if your identity had been revealed?"

"Don't worry, sensei," Naruto answered softly, "That will _never_ happen. I did promise you, didn't I?" Minoru's eyes softened like they always did when the boy was concerned.

He looked on as Naruto's eyes drifted closed. Seconds later, his head drooped sideways.

Minoru sighed, shaking his head lightly. He moved to pick him up, carrying him to his sleeping bag where he tucked him in. He pulled the mask off which covered his face and smoothed his hair back.

The boy simply couldn't help himself, always coming to the rescue of others. He was reckless in such cases, though he'd never endangered them, not even _once_. Without a doubt, he knew and understood how important it was for them to remain unnoticed.

He recalled the conversation they had three days before they left the Fire Temple…

* * *

"_Naruto, there are several rules I need to make clear and you have to _promise_ me that you'll follow them, at _all_ times," he paused to check if the boy was listening. Seeing that he was, he continued, "Once we leave the Fire Temple, you can't mention who you are and where you come from to _anyone_. We _must_ stay together and remain unnoticed, _always. _Most importantly, you must keep your abilities hidden, to avoid attracting attention. I know this may seem strange, but it's very important. Can you do it?" The questions had, just like he'd predicted, made the boy suspicious. _

"_Is something wrong, sensei?" Naruto had asked worriedly. _

"_No, nothing's wrong, Naruto," He assured him, "It's just…before I came here, I had some trouble. I can't disclose anything at the present moment, but someday…I will explain everything. I hope that's enough to satisfy your curiosity for the time being." He smiled, seeing the trust visible in the boy's eyes. _

"_Don't worry, sensei," Naruto responded, easing the tension from inside him, "I promise to follow _everything _you said. You know I always keep my word…"_

* * *

And just like he'd promised, Naruto never broke his word. He stuck to the rules obediently, whereas anyone else would've got fed up ages ago.

Minoru, on the other hand, couldn't help but worry.

Over the years, Naruto seemed to grow quieter and quieter. Gone was the once cheerful child, only to be replaced with someone…_different_.

He appeared more serious, as if he was seeing things in a new light. Like a child, once fully naïve, finally growing up. It wasn't a bad thing; in fact it was something to be proud of. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that in some way, he'd robbed the boy of something precious. Maybe he should've protected him from the reality of their world a bit longer.

He sighed, it wasn't the first time he'd thought along these lines.

The past four years had taught Naruto a great deal about what their world was like. It was also the other reason why Minoru had been so hesitant about leaving the Fire Temple in the first place. He knew there was a chance they'd have to lay low like this, just in case Konoha was still looking for them, after all these years.

To see those bright, blue eyes slowly turn dull had pained him greatly. The only time there was a hint of shine in them would be after he'd helped someone or on a rare occasion where they met someone nice. The travelling had been difficult, with both of them relying on one another for company and support. It was the only thing that kept them going.

All this constant wandering from one place to another was stressing. People either avoided them or picked fights. It was understandable in a way, considering their getup. After looking at them, anyone would wonder what they had to hide.

Like the incident at the bar, earlier. They were becoming more frequent, due to the attention Naruto seemed to get from the females. Amusingly enough, he didn't even show the_ slightest_ interest in them, which seemed to perk their curiosity even more.

Once he'd questioned him about it, unable to help himself.

"_I have more __important things to worry about, sensei," Naruto had answered, his tone clearly declaring the end of _that_ particular topic. _

He decided to respect his wishes and never brought up the topic again. Though it was amusing, not that he'd admit it out loud.

Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder what the boy would've been like if his parents had been alive. Instantly, his mind conjured up several images, bringing a smile to his face.

He would've grown up to be just as fine as he was today, he was sure of it. Even with their problems, the boy had continued to stay positive, not letting anything get in his way. Helping people was something he felt the need to do. He had a kind heart, so much like his father's.

"Minato, Kushina, I hope you can see what a fine young man your son has grown up to be," he muttered, looking up into the night sky…

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura hesitated when he looked up, "it seemed like you recognised him when you saw him. Do you know who he is?"

Before he could answer, Sasuke and Sai appeared, looking exhausted. Sai was nursing a nasty looking wound on his arm, which Sakura moved to heal. Besides that, other than the minor injuries, they were fine.

"Diedara's dead," Sasuke announced, eyeing Sasori's body, "Looks like you guys took care of Sasori."

"We had help," Sakura informed them, quickly explaining what'd happened. The guys looked surprised.

"Do you know who he is?" Sakura repeated her question, looking directly at him. All three of them looked expectant, waiting for him to answer. He sighed, massaging the back of his neck.

"I saw him at the village we were staying at," he told them, briefly explaining the fight he'd witnessed. Thankfully, they didn't ask any more questions, saving him from answering. It wasn't like he knew the answers anyway.

"What should we do with the puppet freak?" Sasuke asked, motioning his head towards it.

"We'll take him back with us," Kakashi replied, "I'm sure Sunagakure would want him back."

Sasuke nodded and headed towards the dead puppet, narrowing his eyes at the left side of his chest. He leant closer for a closer look, examining the damage done to it. The final blow had been delivered expertly, he concluded. Whoever this guy was, he was definitely strong and skilled. Lifting the puppet with one hand, he tossed it to Sai, who raised a brow, catching it with one hand.

"We should head back to Konoha and report to the Hokage," said Sasuke,

"Right," Kakashi agreed, "as soon as we finish cleaning up here…"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they were headed back to Konoha, after clearing all traces of the fight they had.

Kakashi found himself wondering about the guy who'd helped them. Judging from his appearance, he couldn't have been older than Sasuke. His fighting style and abilities, on the other hand, were incredible for someone his age. If he hadn't come along when he did, they would've been in big trouble. Sasori had been a strong adversary, taking even _him_ by surprise. After hearing Sasuke's account of what happened, Deidara was no less. He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen Sasuke so worn out.

Something was bothering him, though. Exactly what that was, he'd no idea. When he first glanced into those blue eyes, he felt something. There was almost something _familiar_ about them. The thought continued to pester him, as if it was important, but no matter how much he thought about it, nothing came to mind. Other than the eyes, they hadn't seen any other features, due to the mask he wore. He hadn't even been able to see the colour of his _eyebrows_, which was odd. It was almost like he _wanted_ to hide his identity, but _why_ and more importantly, _who_ was he…?

* * *

Naruto roused the next morning, feeling the warm rays of sunshine on his face. He groaned, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Get up, Naruto," he heard his sensei call out, "we need to get moving." Naruto groaned even louder, forcing his tired body to get up. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around. Minoru-sensei was folding his sleeping bag. Judging from the dark circles under his eyes, he looked like he hadn't slept much.

Memories of the night before came rushing back to him. His body wasn't hurting as badly as it was last night. The Kyuubi's healing abilities must've kicked in.

"How're you feeling?" Minoru-sensei asked, looking his way.

"Much better," he answered, suppressing a yawn, "though I could've used more sleep."

"I know you need the rest, but we really should get out of here." Minoru-sensei smiled apologetically, "Once we're a safe distance away, we can find somewhere to stay. If you want, you can sleep as long as you like then."

"Great, can't wait," Naruto answered, picking up his canteen of water. He downed some of the water, before splashing some onto his face, wiping it dry with a small towel.

"So, where are we headed this time?" he asked, folding his sleeping bag.

"We're going to head west from this point onwards, in the opposite direction of Konoha," Minoru-sensei explained. Naruto nodded, looking thoughtful...

* * *

Ten minutes later, they were ready. With a compass in hand, they set off in the right direction. As they walked in silence, Naruto returned to his previous thoughts. He hadn't told his sensei about _who_ he'd saved last night and it was bothering him. If he found out that it'd been Kakashi and the others, then there was no telling what he'd do. Even so, he had to be honest.

"Sensei…there's something I have to tell you...about last night," Naruto hesitated.

"What is it, Naruto?" Minoru-sensei looked curious, noting his faltering.

"The people I helped were ninja from Konoha," Naruto revealed, bracing himself for a telling off. Surprisingly, it never came. He risked a glance at his sensei, who was frowning.

"Tell me _exactly_ what happened," Minoru-sensei answered finally. Naruto nodded, quickly explaining the occurrences of last night.

"The enemy wore long, dark cloaks with red clouds, did you say?" Minoru-sensei asked, looking worried.

"That's right," Naruto responded, noting the concern on his sensei's face.

"Hmm, do you think Kakashi and that girl, Sakura were suspicious_, _at all?" Minoru-sensei questioned, looking right at him.

"No," he shook his head, looking certain, "They were curious and asked questions, but I didn't answer any of them. I left as soon as the fight was over. I even took the empty vile, the one she'd given me the antidote from. Don't worry, I was extra careful, like always."

"Okay," Minoru-sensei answered, clearly satisfied, before his face took on a serious look, "Now, about these cloaked ninja, I think we should do some research on them. I don't know why, but _something_ about them…worries me. Call it a gut feeling, if you want."

Naruto frowned, but nodded anyway. He never questioned his sensei's intuition, trusting it entirely. Amazingly, it'd _never_ been wrong so far, having gotten them out of approaching troubles several times.

"Fine by me," he answered, "Where do we start?" Minoru-sensei smiled.

"I think I'll be paying my old friend a visit," he said…

* * *

A/N: You know _what_ I'm going to say now, don't you? That's right; I guess it was _obvious_…

PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW!

Okay, I think I should calm down now… I think you got the picture, well, I _hope_ you did! ^_^


	9. The Mysterious Stranger

A/N: I was _really_ impressed with the number of reviews I received for the last chapter. Though, it didn't reach the 20 mark, I decided to update a bit early anyway. I think you deserved it! A _big_ thank you to Iluvninjas, Prescripto13, Ghibly101, Darkryus, KitElizaKing, TigrezzTail, Cows0816, Sammiieeoo, Delerium9, Williamsangel88, College6Jazz, Rose, Maybe2Morrow, Qxonewip, Silvermane1 and Mai MNK for reviewing!

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 8 – The Mysterious Stranger**

The Hokage, Tsunade, was silent, once Kakashi had finished explaining what'd happened.

"It doesn't make _any_ sense," she frowned, "Why would someone randomly help you guys? Especially, considering how strong the adversary was."

"I was wondering the same thing, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi responded, "Whoever he is, he's strong. Without his help, I doubt we'd have won so easily." The frown on Tsunade's face deepened, indicating she was thinking hard. Eventually, she spoke.

"Let's just forget about him, for the time being," she announced firmly, "We have _bigger_ problems to worry about. Even though Sasuke has defeated Orochimaru, we _still_ have the Akatsuki to worry about. It's obvious they're after the Tailed Beasts.

The information Jiraiya provided about Deidara and Sasori's whereabouts, turned out to be correct. Fortunately, they were still sticking around by the time you got there. Now, we have two less to worry about. Though it doesn't mean the rest will sit quietly. Most likely, they're already planning their next move.

According to Jiraiya, they're going after the Tailed Beasts in order. Starting with the One-Tail Jinchuriki, who's been missing for the past three years. Apparently, Deidara and Sasori were looking for him initially, before your team caught up to them. Sunagakure has requested our help in locating Gaara. I've decided to pick your team to assist them."

"As you wish, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi answered, "When should we leave for Sunagakure?"

"You won't have to," Tsunade informed him, retrieving a folded scroll, "Sunagakure has already dispatched a group of Shinobi to find Gaara. They believe Gaara is somewhere in the Fire Country, according to their sources. They'll meet you at the location stated in this scroll." Kakashi caught the scroll tossed his way, opening it immediately.

"When should we leave?" He looked up after a quick read through.

"Tomorrow morning at dawn," she answered, "It should give you plenty of time to reach them before midday. As for now, you can have the rest of the day off to rest." With that said, she turned away.

Kakashi took that as a cue to leave, disappearing with a poof. Shizune turned to the Fifth Hokage, looking concerned.

"Tsunade-sama," her voice filled with tension, "if they're after the Tailed Beasts, they're going to start looking for the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails eventually. It's been over sixteen years and we still don't know if he's even alive. What are we going to do?" Tsunade sighed resignedly.

"I have no idea, Shizune," she sank into her armchair, looking grim, "We still have some time. Jiraiya hasn't given up, not even after all these years."

"He's been searching for more than sixteen years," Shizune reminded her, with a frown, "I doubt he'll find him any time soon." Tsunade exhaled loudly, looking sharply at her.

"There's nothing_ more_ we can do," her voice hard, "We have to find him _before_ the Akatsuki do. Even if Minoru is still with him, he won't be able to protect him alone. The boy needs to be brought back to Konoha and soon..."

* * *

"Who's this old friend of yours, sensei?" Naruto asked, perking up instantly. A hint of sadness appeared in Minoru's eyes, before it vanished. He pushed back the recurring memories, which popped up every now and then.

"I'm going to go see him tonight," he answered, ignoring the question, "In the meantime; I want you to stay hidden, out of sight. I'll be back as soon as possible, no later than a day or so."

"Is this _necessary_?" Naruto frowned, "I don't want you to go anywhere alone. Why can't I come with you?"

"I'm afraid I can't," Minoru looked apologetic, avoiding Naruto's piercing gaze, "This _person_, who I'm going to see, is from Konoha. Most likely, he's been searching for you. It'd be best if I went alone."

"Fine," Naruto gave in, already knowing there was no chance of changing his mind, "you better be careful though. If you're not back within a day or two, I'll come looking for you."

Minoru smiled, agreeing to his terms. As much as he hated to leave the boy on his own, it was essential. The uneasiness in the pit of his stomach kept growing, ever since Naruto mentioned these cloaked ninja. His instincts told him something was coming, somewhat _big._ Right now he needed information and there was only one man who, without a doubt, knew what was going on. It was a big risk going to see him, but the situation was such that he'd no choice.

The only thing he had to take care of now was to get Naruto someplace safe, while he went looking for his old friend.

Since that day, only several months ago, when he'd seen him, he'd been keeping track of where the old man went. It was a good thing he'd done so. His Clone was still very much trailing him on the sly and the old geezer hadn't even _noticed_…

* * *

Later on in the evening, when the sky was darkening, Naruto and Minoru entered a small village they'd come across. It was small, which made it perfect. After checking in a hotel, Minoru made sure Naruto was in his room, before he slipped away into the night. He could trust Naruto to be careful while he was away. Now, all he needed to do was find his friend…

* * *

Naruto sighed, feeling extremely on edge. Ever since Minoru-sensei had left several hours ago, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, like something bad was coming. He tried to sleep, with no luck. His mind kept conjuring up all kind of bad things that could happen, making him fret. He didn't like it, not one little bit. Why did Minoru-sensei have to go meet his friend by himself? What if something bad happened to him? Deciding he needed a distraction, he headed outside, towards the bar he'd passed earlier.

Pushing the door of the bar open, he noticed the place was almost empty. Other than the hooded figure sat in the corner and the barman, there was no one else about. While he waited for his order, he found himself examining the hooded figure discreetly. Whoever he was, he clearly gave off an air of frostiness.

After paying for his drink, he headed towards a table, close to where the stranger sat. Oddly, he felt him tense and frowned. As the minutes ticked by, he began to feel a strange discomfort building up inside him. He couldn't explain the sudden feeling he was getting. Whatever it was, he felt it had something to do with the stranger who was sitting close by. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it, feeling stupid.

Seconds later, much to his own surprise, he found himself getting up and walking towards him. As he settled down opposite him, he was greeted with intimidating killer intent. Not in the least cowed, he looked towards him.

His face was concealed by the cloak he wore, but he could feel sharp eyes on him, glaring holes in to his body.

"What do you want?" the stranger asked in a cold voice. Naruto stared back, unfazed.

"Nothing," he replied. The stranger was clearly suspicious and on edge. Pale hands, holding the glass of sake, tightened their grip considerably.

"Then_ leave_," the figure responded in the same cold voice. Naruto didn't make any move to abscond, continuing to examine him.

Why was he here? Why did he feel the strong urge to talk to him, as if it was important? Not understanding what was going on, he felt confused. Without thinking, he spoke his mind.

"I feel…_drawn_ to you, as if we're…connected…" Naruto commented, looking disturbed. The figure stilled, blatantly surprised. He could feel eyes examining him, sizing his words up. An awkward silence followed. Naruto began to regret his words; sometimes his mouth got the better of him.

"I want you to stay away from me," the stranger spoke, his tone dripping with iciness, "because I might just _kill_ you." He got up, turning to leave. Naruto watched him go, not bothering to stop him. Turning back to his sake, he sighed, feeling foolish…

* * *

A/N: Please review! ^_^


	10. Meeting

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! I'm updating a day early, because my sister needs the laptop tomorrow. So glad you're enjoying the story, so far! Please continue to show your motivation and appreciation!

Have any of you seen the Naruto Dreamer's fight video on YouTube? If you haven't, I'll suggest you check it out. It's awesome! ^_^

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 9 - Meeting**

The next morning at first light, Kakashi and the others met at Konoha's exit point. Konoha's gates stood tall and threatening to all who approached from the outside. However, for the Shinobi of Konoha, who entered and exited these gates on a daily basis, they looked harmless.

"I know I informed all of you about the mission, yesterday," Kakashi started, eying each of his teammates, "But just to clarify; I'll go over it once more. We are to meet up with the ninja from Sunagakure and search for Garaa, who left his village three years ago. He is the Jinchuriki for the One-Tail and the first target for the Akatsuki. Our mission is to find him as soon as possible and have him brought back to Sunagakure."

Sakura, Sasuke and Sai nodded. All three of his teammates shared the same unwavering, determined look in their eyes, he noted and smiled.

"Let's go," he announced and they quickly headed outside, taking the path out of the village…

* * *

Minoru peered out from behind the cover of a tree, vigilantly scanning his surroundings. Directly in front of him, on the other side of the large, stone wall, was a hotel, with an adjoining Hot Spring. It seemed his friend was here, somewhere. The first place to check would be the Hot Spring, where he was more likely to be. Moving anonymously through the cover of trees, he peered over the wall.

"I was wondering when you would show yourself," Minoru stilled, hearing the deep, familiar voice from behind him. Calmly, he lowered himself to the ground, turning around to face him. The two men locked gazes instantly.

"Jiraiya," Minoru broke the silence, a smile gracing his face, "it's good to see you." Jiraiya didn't return the smile, choosing to frown instead.

"So tell me, Minoru, why you suddenly decided to show yourself, after all this time," Jiraiya asked, his tone hard. Minoru sighed inwardly. He'd been expecting the questions.

"I needed some information about a group of ninja, who wear long, dark cloaks with red clouds," Minoru answered, getting straight to the point. Jiraiya arched a grey eyebrow, clearly surprised by his words.

"Where's the boy?" he asked, completely ignoring what he'd said.

"He's safe," Minoru replied without hesitation, "Don't worry about him." The frown on Jiraiya's face deepened. Silence followed, which the older man decided to break.

"The group of ninja you're referring to are the Akatsuki," he said, answering Minoru's question from before.

"Akatsuki..?" Minoru frowned.

"The Akatsuki is formed of S-Rank missing-nin. They're targeting all of the Tailed Beasts, _including_ the Nine-Tails…" Jiraiya paused, letting his words sink in before he continued "The boy needs to be taken back to Konoha and soon. The Akatsuki are after him and the other Jinchurikis. We don't know why, but it doesn't look too good. It's not safe for him to be wondering around anymore."

Minoru looked away, in deep thought. It seemed his suspicions had been right all along. Though he'd never imagined it could be _this_ bad.

"He doesn't need Konoha. I can take care of him," Minoru stated, looking back at him.

"Don't be a _fool_. You're going to get the boy killed," Jiraiya answered angrily.

"Don't underestimate me, Jiraiya," his tone was cold, "If I hadn't left that night sixteen years ago, the boy would've been long dead by now. I've protected him with my life all this time and I'd never allow him to be taken back to that wretched village." Jiraiya looked astounded at the outburst, his face losing all trace of the anger he displayed mere seconds ago.

"What the hell are you talking about? The Third Hokage would _never_ have allowed such a thing," he argued.

"I overheard him talking with the Council and Danzo that night. They were arguing about getting rid of the child," Minoru stated icily.

"You _know_ for a fact he wouldn't have allowed it," Jiraiya clarified, his tone firm, "As for the Council and Danzo, you're perfectly aware of what _they're_ like. Obviously, they'd suggest such a thing."

"Even if he hadn't allowed it, the same can't be said for the villagers. They would've tortured the poor child and you know it. I saved him from an _unpleasant_ childhood. It was the least I could do for Minato, after he sacrificed his life to save the village. He wanted Konoha to regard his son as a hero, but it wasn't going to happen. Our world is too selfish and full of hate. There's no room for any kind of understanding and affection," Minoru responded, losing his cool. Again there was silence, while his words sank in. The older man's face was grim as he stared back at him, patiently waiting for him to calm down.

"You're probably right, but that's not important right now. A lot has happened in the past couple of years. Sarutobi-sensei died a few years ago in a battle against Orochimaru. He attacked the village during the Chunin Exams and we barely survived the onslaught, thanks to the Third Hokage. Tsunade is the Hokage now and you know she can be trusted. We need to take the boy back to Konoha, for his own sake. The Akatsuki are strong and we still don't know what they're planning. The whole world could be in danger for all we know," he explained. A look of pain crossed Minoru's face, before it disappeared.

"I heard about the Third Hokage," he answered softly, before his eyes hardened, "As for the boy, I don't think I can trust _any of you_." He turned to leave, but Jiraiya's answer stopped him.

"Do you seriously think you're the only one who cares for the boy? Don't forget, Minato was like a son to me and he wanted me to be his son's godfather. I've been searching for him, since the night he was born. I never gave up hope, because I _cared_…" Minoru closed his eyes, feeling a pang of guilt. He'd never considered how Jiraiya would've felt in all these years. It was true; Minato had been like a son to him.

Why hadn't he thought of going to Jiraiya at the time? The answer came to him immediately. He'd only thought about Naruto and nothing else. His safety had been _more_ important.

"I will be in touch," was all he said and disappeared in a cloud of smoke…

* * *

Naruto woke up later in the evening. He was surprised to see the sun was already setting in the sky, which meant he'd ended up sleeping most of the day.

After leaving the bar last night, he returned to his room only to pace back and forth, feeling strangely perturbed. Something was wrong, he could feel it. As much as he tried to calm himself, he couldn't. The stupid squirming in his gut lingered, continuing to make him worry.

It didn't help that Minoru-sensei wasn't there, only increasing his tension. If it wasn't for the promise he'd made to his sensei, he would've gone looking for him, just to assure himself that he was okay. Eventually, sometime around dawn, he'd finally knocked out.

Minoru-sensei still wasn't back, he realised. Peering outside the window, he saw the streets were mostly empty. Hearing his stomach protest, he decided to go get something to eat.

As he was walking out of the hotel, something caught his eye from the shadows. It was the stranger from last night. He recognised the hooded cloak he wore.

A strong urge to pursue him filled him to the core and he tensed at the reaction. Without thinking twice, he quickly teleported to his room and grabbed his sword. Teleporting back, he decided to trust his gut feeling.

Lowering his Chakra signature until it couldn't be detected, he followed him. He cursed silently when he realised the stranger was headed out of the village. Conjuring a Shadow Clone, he ordered it to return to the hotel room, just in case Minoru-sensei returned. Without wasting another second, he hurried after the stranger, making sure to stay hidden…

* * *

A/N: Thumbs up to all who guessed it was Jiraiya! Sorry it's short like the rest, but the chapters are already sorted out like this. I'm actually ten chapters ahead. A quarter of this story was already written before I posted it, just in case I didn't get time to write.

I can assure you there's plenty of action on its way. So stay tuned…

And oh yeah...don't forget to review! ^_^


	11. Jinchurikis vs Akatsuki

A/N: Many thanks for all the wonderful feedback. So far, this story has had over 8,000 views, which is simply great! I never expected this story to be such a big hit! Thank you to all who took the time to read the story, as well as review. It really means a lot! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 10 – Jinchurikis vs. Akatsuki **

He ended up stalking him for just over an hour, until he finally stopped. Naruto held his breath, wondering if he'd been detected, when suddenly two guys appeared out of nowhere. The first thing he noticed was that they wore exactly the same cloaks as Sasori and Diedara. He tensed, hearing the warning bells ringing in his head.

"Kakuzu," the silver-haired one spoke, "it appears we've finally found him." He wore a Yugakure headband around his neck and what looked like a Triple-Bladed Scythe strapped to his back.

"Stating the obvious, Hidan, like always," Kakuzu replied coldly. He wore a white hood and a black mask, with only his eyes visible. On his forehead, he wore a Takigakure headband.

"It took you long enough," the stranger retorted calmly, like he'd been expecting them.

"Don't worry about this brat, Kakuzu," Hidan removed the Scythe from his back, "I want him for my ritual. He deserves to be punished for making us search this long."

"Very well," Kakuzu responded, moving to one side, "but don't get careless. We need him alive."

Naruto silently observed as the stranger pulled his hood down, revealing his short, auburn hair. He undid the cloak he wore and tossed it aside. Underneath his cloak, he wore a simple black top, with grey combats. From nowhere, he pulled out a scroll and a gourd appeared. He lifted it easily and attached it to his back.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered, removing the lid from the gourd, "I don't have all day."

Naruto observed the sand drifting out of it with interest. It circled the air, almost threatening.

Hidan gripped the Scythe in his right hand before leaping forward, heading straight for the auburn-haired guy. Sand suddenly shot forward to block the attack, again surprising Naruto, whilst the target stood unfazed. He tried to get a closer look at the guy's face, but didn't want to risk revealing himself. Glancing over at Kakuzu, he couldn't help but frown. There was definitely a bad vibe coming off the guy.

Meanwhile, the fight had pretty much started. Hidan delivered countless attacks and each of them was blocked by the sand. The auburn-haired guy stood unmoving; while the sand defended him from all sides, not letting Hidan get close. Eventually, he lifted a hand and the sand shot forward to attack. Hidan barely dodged it.

"It seems you're having trouble," Kakuzu pointed out, causing Hidan to flip.

"I'm just getting warmed up," he cried out, clearly aggravated, "This Jinchuriki is _no_ match for me."

"Well, get a move on then," Kakuzu responded brusquely, "I have a bounty to catch."

"I've had enough of _you_ and your _stupid _obsession with money," Hidan answered rudely, glaring at him.

"Pay attention, you fool," Kakuzu replied, "Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill you myself."

Naruto frowned as they continued to bicker. Somehow, Hidan managed to fight at the same time, indicating this wasn't the first time they'd fought and verbally abused one another simultaneously. No matter how many times he tried to get close to him, the sand would prevent him from doing so. It soon became apparent that Hidan was losing his patience.

"How long are you planning on keeping this up, _Jinchuriki?"_ Hidan muttered, avoiding another swift attack from the sand, "I don't have all day, you know."

"The name's Gaara. I'd suggest you use it," Gaara mentioned, his tone as cold as Kakuzu's.

"Gaara, eh?" Hidan sneered, "It doesn't matter what your name is. By the time I'm finished with you, we'll be dragging you from here."

"That's it! I've had enough," Kakuzu commented impatiently, moving forward, "Back off you amateur. Let _me_ deal with this."

"No way, I'm taking him," Hidan argued, gripping his Scythe tightly.

"You're pathetic!" Kakuzu mocked him. Hidan growled in anger and launched at him, using his Scythe. Kakuzu grabbed hold of it with ease and pushed him back. Gaara looked on, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto, deciding he'd heard enough, leapt down from where he was hidden, out of sight.

"You know, this is getting really annoying," he remarked, "I'm beginning to get a headache from just _listening_ to your crap." All three turned to face him, surprise evident on their faces.

"Who the hell are _you_?" Hidan called out, making him chuckle.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," he answered amusedly. Kakuzu narrowed his eyes with interest, wondering how he'd managed to stay hidden so perfectly. Even _he_ hadn't detected his presence.

"What are you doing here?" Gaara demanded. Naruto turned to face him, finally getting a look at his face. The first features he noticed were the green eyes, which were surrounded by black eye rings. He had no eyebrows and there was a carving on the left side of his forehead, which read 'love'.

"I followed you," Naruto answered nonchalantly.

"Why?" Gaara asked, his tone lacking any emotion.

"Don't know," Naruto replied, with a casual shrug of his shoulders. It was true, he'd only just felt the urge to follow him and that was it. Gaara just stared back at him, looking confused.

"That's it! I've heard enough," Hidan called and rushed forward. Naruto instantly made his move, throwing two sets of Kunai, attached with Paper Bombs. Hidan jumped out of the way of the attack, only for Naruto to appear in the air and lash out with his sword, separating his connection with the Scythe.

"_YOU BASTARD!_" Hidan yelled in anger.

"I'll take care of this one, you idiot," Kakuzu commented, turning to face Naruto. Hidan shot him a dirty look, before turning his attention back to Gaara, who'd already sent his sand rushing forward.

Kakuzu ran towards him, whilst Naruto stood his ground, waiting for the right moment. As soon as Kakuzu had neared him, he leapt into the air with his sword. Long spikes suddenly lashed out from Kakuzu's sleeves and encircled him. There was a poof as Naruto disappeared and in his place was a Substitution. Kakuzu whipped around, sensing movement behind him and separated his arms, jumping out of the way of the sword.

Naruto effortlessly dodged the spikes that were released from both arms and created an army of Shadow Clones. Kakuzu looked taken back and instantly lashed out with his spikes. He was so preoccupied; he didn't notice the powerful Jutsu slamming into his back until it'd connected, hitting a vital spot.

"_KAKUZU!_" Hidan yelled, seeing his partner fall to the ground. Naruto landed on the ground a few metres away and silently examined Kakuzu, who lay unmoving.

"You can get up now. I know you're still alive," he said. Kakuzu's eyes whipped open in shock as he stood back up.

"How did you know I was still alive?" he demanded, unable to contain his curiosity. Naruto smiled mysteriously underneath his mask. Narrowing his eyes in anger, Kakuzu unzipped his cloak and tossed it to the ground, revealing a body stitched together like a rag doll. There were four masks covering his back, one destroyed where Naruto's Jutsu had connected.

He leant forward as his back began stretching itself, as if something was trying to get out. Unexpectedly, the threads holding his skin together snapped and something burst out. Seconds later, four monstrous bodies, with those very masks for faces, appeared and stood around Kakuzu. Naruto frowned, feeling the evil Chakra radiating off them.

A groan sounded from the body with the broken mask as it dropped to the ground and quickly deformed. Kakuzu, in the meantime, had his stitches replace themselves, making him whole once more.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Kakuzu announced. Naruto created an army of Shadow Clones once more, scattering them all around as the remaining three masked bodies began to drift towards him.

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!" One of them released a powerful attack, getting rid of more than half of the Clones. Gaara frowned, moving out of the way of the approaching attack as Hidan laughed maniacally. Trees surrounding them were quickly torn apart, causing loud sounds of eruption.

Eventually, the attack faded away and everything stilled once more. The remaining Shadow Clones stared at Kakuzu and his masked bodies, waiting for the next assault.

"Kakuzu, that was simply amazing!" Hidan commented eccentrically. He stood next to his partner, completely unharmed.

"Just sit back and let me take care of this," Kakuzu replied.

"No way!" Hidan retorted. Naruto looked towards Gaara, feeling his presence close by.

"It seems we'll have to team up here," Gaara concluded, acknowledging him with a nod. Naruto nodded back at him, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Let's do this," he responded, more than a little amused, "You can have the immortal psycho and I'll take care of the other freak show!" Gaara's lips lifted somewhat, much to his delight. It definitely looked like the guy rarely ever smiled.

"Very well," he replied. They turned their attention back to their opponents, quickly noticing one of the masked bodies step forward.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!" Instant lightning shot out, headed straight for them. Gaara's sand created a sand barrier big enough for the two of them, preventing the attack from hitting them.

"I'm surprised you managed to survive those attacks. However, let's see you dodge this," said Kakuzu, already forming rapid hand signs.

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!" A large wave of fire was released, aimed directly at them. It quickly spread far and wide, leaving them no choice but to jump out of harm's way.

Gaara appeared in the air, his sand rushing forward to cut off Hidan's attack. Naruto turned his attention back to Kakuzu, frowning at the guy's powers. How on earth could he use Earth, Wind, Lightning _and_ Fire Style? It didn't make any sense. On the other hand, there was one thing he'd figured out.

"One heart down and four more to go, eh?" he called out.

"You're very perceptive," Kakuzu commented, "That's exactly right. I took each of these hearts from Shinobi I once fought. I can always replenish my stock…with your heart." Naruto stared back, blue eyes narrowed. It all made sense now. By connecting his Chakra Network to the other hearts, he incorporates _their_ Chakra natures as well. This enabled him to use several different natures.

Kakuzu suddenly appeared in front of him, launching an impressive punch. He ducked low, spinning around to deliver a roundhouse kick, which Kakuzu blocked with both of his palms. Already anticipating such a move, his other leg shot forward, sending Kakuzu sailing through the air. Not giving him the chance to recover, he dashed after him. Thus, began their battle of Taijutsu.

He noticed, in between dodging and attacking, one of the masked bodies heading towards Gaara, while two were headed his way. Leaping into the air, he created an army of Shadow Clones to distract them, while he continued to fight Kakuzu…

* * *

A couple of miles away, a small group of Shinobi hurried towards where they could sense a fight was taking places. Judging from the loud explosions, it was intense…

* * *

A/N: So, did you like it? I hope you did! Thumbs up to all who guessed the hooded figure was Gaara. Though, it was pretty obvious. I hope you improve of all the action and getting the chance to see Naruto and Gaara kick ass!

Also, I'm trying to stick to canon, how the characters are presented in the actual storyline. Though for the Naruto in this story, you'll have to remember that he had a completely _different_ childhood, so there's bound to be some changes in his character. I know he's not exactly bright in reality, but in this story he's been training for nearly all his life, perfecting his weaknesses. This has made a significant impact on his abilities, as well as his intelligence, especially with the help of Minoru. Just thought I'll make that clear, in case you were wondering.

Lastly, please review! ^_^


	12. Loss

A/N: Thank you for all the lovely feedback! It definitely put a big smile on my face! This is why I decided to update early. I think you deserve it… As for the people who didn't review - WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? I need _more_ feedback people, so get typing! It's not too much to ask! :D

Also, I won't be able to update for the next two weeks, because my laptop will be temporarily unavailable. Just thought I'll let you know beforehand.

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 11 – Loss**

Naruto looked on as two of the masked bodies joined together, forming a body with two masks. He'd quickly figured out that this fight wasn't going to be a piece of cake. Fighting Kakuzu, as well as avoiding the powerful attacks from the masked bodies, wasn't an easy task.

Caught up in their fight, Gaara and Hidan had long since drifted away from them, much to his relief. At least this way the masked bodies would stay away from him. He knew Gaara was capable of taking care of himself, after witnessing his abilities. All he had to do now was take care of Kakuzu and the remaining masked bodies.

"Whoever you are, I've decided to take your heart to replace the one you destroyed," Kakuzu announced as he formed hand signs. The Lightning Style masked body released a blast, which he dodged, hoping it would connect with the masked body with two masks who had suddenly appeared behind him. Unexpectedly, they separated at the very last moment, letting the blast hurtle through them.

Sensing movement in the ground underneath him, he leapt up into the air to avoid the oncoming spikes. The joined masked bodies released their attack at the same time. He just about evaded it, silently concluding that the latest attack had been more powerful than the first few.

He landed on the ground several feet away. Before he could even so much as blink, he felt the spikes appear out of nowhere, as they swiftly twisted around his body. His sword dropped to the ground, as he noticed Kakuzu's arms appearing from underneath the ground. He cursed loudly, wondering how the hell he'd missed them.

"Now, I finally have you," Kakuzu commented amusedly, appearing in front of him. Naruto struggled to free himself, without any success.

The spikes from Kakuzu's arms lashed out, aimed straight for the left side of his chest. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the pain. However, it never came. He opened his eyes slowly and froze.

Minoru-sensei stood in front of him, his face contorted in pain. Naruto's eyes widened drastically, as he looked downwards, only to see the spikes sticking out of his sensei's chest. There was blood _everywhere_.

Literally, for a split second, he forgot to breathe. All sounds dimmed around him, except for the sound of blood pounding in his ears. He looked on, completely astounded, at the scene which met his eyes. Almost in slow motion, the spikes pulled themselves out of his sensei's chest and he fell forward, right on top of him.

He wanted to scream, but no sound left his mouth. All he could see was the blood and what it meant.

Once the shock wore off slightly, his emotions went haywire. Anger and sorrow caused his body to shake uncontrollably. The need to make his enemy pay for what he did clouded all rational thoughts...

* * *

_The dark presence inside him awakened, sensing the sudden stir of emotions. Black lips stretched, revealing rolls of teeth, as Kyuubi grinned, his red eyes flashing dangerously. _

"_Destroy them…" He snarled, letting his Chakra meander its way pass the cage he was confined to…_

* * *

It was then he snapped…

Red Chakra leaked out of his body, at a rapid pace. It disbanded the spikes wrapped around his body instantly. He landed soundlessly on the ground, carrying Minoru-sensei.

He looked towards Kakuzu, with eyes the colour of blood-red, filled with hate and the need to annihilate. An aura of red Chakra had formed all around his body.

"What is this _Chakra?"_ Kakuzu cried out in horror, his eyes widened in disbelief. One of Naruto's Clones appeared. It was the one he'd ordered to return to their hotel room earlier, before he followed Gaara. The Clone took Minoru-sensei from him and leapt out of the way.

He turned his attention back to Kakuzu, blood-lust oozing from his body.

Before Kakuzu could even blink, he was sailing through the air, back and forth, repeatedly getting attacked. Punches and kicks came from all directions, so fast Kakuzu couldn't even make out where they were coming from. After what seemed like hours, but in reality was no more than a few minutes, they stopped. Kakuzu dropped to the ground, completely battered.

Naruto conjured two Shadow Clones and placed his hand forward. They set to work; forming a spinning, round ball of Chakra, which quickly expanded in size. Soon enough, an extremely loud, bell-like screech sounded in the air. The wind picked up noticeably, blowing threateningly all around, as the Jutsu grew even bigger in size.

Once it was completed, Naruto raised his arm into the air. The Clones sped past him, ready to confront anything that came in his way, as he followed them from behind.

Kakuzu shook in fear, for the first time in his long life, as he observed what could possibly be his death, rushing towards him. He knew for a fact if that powerful attack connected, he was done for. His hands moved quickly to form hand signs, but felt hands grabbing him, holding him in place. He looked up to see a pair of identical Clones, looking back at him. On further inspection, he saw he was surrounded by them. They must have sneaked up from behind him.

Hearing a loud cry, his eyes met blood-red ones, as death looked him right in the face.

"_Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken."_

In slow motion, the attack was thrown, as it sailed through the air, directly towards him.

There was a loud explosion, when the attack connected. A huge wind sphere was created, as the attack tore into their targets. It lasted more than a minute, causing the surrounding area to shake with the aftermath. Once it'd ended, Kakuzu lay unmoving on the ground; there was no sign of the masked bodies anywhere.

Naruto dropped to the ground, landing painfully on his knees. He gasped, trying to get his breathing under control. After using that particular technique, his Chakra supply had suffered greatly. His eyes had shifted back to blue, now that his body was on the verge of collapsing.

Once he was able to move, he hurried towards Minoru-sensei, who was lying on the ground, with his head on his Clone's lap. He dropped to his knees, beside him.

"Minoru-sensei, why did you do it? _Why?_" He demanded, his voice cracking towards the end. His sensei smiled, blood leaking from his mouth.

"N-Naruto…you did great… I-I'm so proud of you, my son," Minoru-sensei responded weakly.

A woman with pink hair suddenly rushed forward. Naruto looked up quickly, startled to see it was Sakura.

"Sakura...?" Pleading blue eyes locked with hers, "He's hurt. _Please..._do something..."

Sakura took one look at the wound and closed her eyes, shaking her head regretfully. "I'm sorry," her tone was soft as she backed off, "There's nothing I can do."

"_No…" _Naruto cried out desperately, "Sensei, _please_…don't leave me."

With his face twisted in pain, Minoru-sensei gestured for him to lean forward. Feeling utterly helpless, he leaned forward, absorbing the words hurriedly whispered into his ear.

"Y-Your f-father would've been p-proud of you…" With his last words uttered, his sensei's head drooped sideways. Naruto froze, staring at his sensei's lifeless body.

Minutes ticked by, before a hand landed on his shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie. It felt warm and light, but he just shook it off. His Clone moved forward, picking up his sensei's body. He stood up unsteadily, his thoughts on what his sensei had told him.

As he took in his surroundings, his eyes hardened. Kakashi and Sakura stood nearby, including the two dark-haired guys from last time. Behind them, looking wide-eyed, were a group of ninja, from Sunagakure. All of them looked shocked.

Gaara, unexpectedly, appeared in front of him, almost acting like a barrier.

"Did you defeat that bastard?" Naruto asked him, his voice empty of emotion. Gaara nodded, looking slightly worn out, but other than that, he was fine.

"Good," Naruto answered, before his tone turned serious, "Are you coming with me?" A look of surprise crossed Gaara's face, before it vanished. Green eyes searched his own, as if they were peering into his soul. After what seemed like ages, Gaara nodded.

"_Wait_…" Kakashi took a step forward, "I need to talk to you." Naruto looked towards him, his blue eyes shining fiercely.

"Now is _not_ the best time, Kakashi Hatake," he responded coldly. Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly, in surprise.

"I understand," his tone was kind, "but this is important. I know who you are and it's essential that you come with me."

"I don't think so…" Naruto answered, grabbing hold of the Clone and Gaara. Half a second later, before Kakashi could react, all four of them had disappeared...

* * *

Kakashi observed the empty space in front of him, wondering how the hell he could carry out a Teleportation Jutsu, with three others, in his condition. It must have drained nearly all of the Chakra he had left.

He'd gotten over his shock quick enough, when he realised the boy was none other than his sensei's son. Feeling the evil Chakra of the Nine-Tails, had pretty much determined that, as well as Minoru's presence.

The boy was full of surprises, that much was evident. Of all the techniques out there, he'd mastered his father's Rasengan and gone as far as evolving his Chakra nature into it. The technique had been amazing. Even _he_, with his Sharingan, couldn't keep up with it.

He hadn't been aware that Minoru was familiar with the Rasengan. According to his knowledge, only the Fourth and the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, knew the technique. However, since he was childhood friends with his sensei, maybe he did have knowledge of it.

Now that Minoru was dead, there was no telling what the boy had planned next. They needed to inform the Hokage about what'd happened and soon.

"Kakashi-sensei, what do we do now?" asked Sakura, looking confused.

"We need to head back to Konoha," he replied, "The Hokage needs to know what's happened here."

"Kakashi, who was he?" Sasuke asked him, curiosity apparent in his tone.

"I'll explain everything later. We should hurry," he answered.

"What should we do about Gaara?" One of the Suna ninja questioned, stepping forward.

"I think he's safe, for the time being," Kakashi answered, after taking a moment to think, "We need to speak to the Hokage and let her decide what to do next." The Suna ninja nodded, looking thoughtful. Thankfully, he didn't question otherwise and neither did the others.

"We'll be taking the body of the Akatsuki member with us," he told them. It was just an act of curiosity on his part. He wanted to see _exactly_ how much damage the Rasenshuriken had done…

* * *

A/N: Okay, I know some of you are probably wondering how Naruto can throw the Rasen Shuriken, without Sage Mode. I did my research online and majority of the answers were that he can't, while some said it was possible, due to the fact he didn't get the chance to prefect it, before his fight with Kakuzu. Personally, I don't know if he can, but since this story is completely different, I've decided to let it happen.

You have to remember that Naruto had years of training, while he was with Minoru. I'm sure after he created the Rasen Shuriken and noticed the damage done to his hand, Minoru would've come out with a solution. Naruto does have the Kyuubi's Chakra, after all, and this technique requires Chakra, more than anything.

Keeping this in mind and the fact that he's had proper help in harnessing the Kyuubi's Chakra, I'm allowing it.

As for the latest turn of events, I hope I managed to surprise some of you. TigrezzTail was the only one who made a comment about Minoru's possible death in the story. It was the only way, I'm afraid. I had to make the story progress and with him alive, it wasn't possible.

As for Gaara, his past will be revealed soon enough. I know he seemed slightly out of character in this fight, but it had to be done. There's a reason for everything!

Well, that's all for now… Please review! Come on, I think I deserve them! I really would appreciate your thoughts on what's happening. Until next time… ^_^


	13. A Final Wish

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! You don't know how much your feedback means to me. So many reviews…WOW!

Okay, I've decided to make two big changes. Firstly, there will be longer chapters from now on and secondly, the updates. Instead of uploading a new chapter every week, I will be updating two chapters every month. They will be roughly as long as this chapter, or much longer. Hope you approve! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 12 – A Final Wish…**

After teleporting back to the hotel room, Naruto dropped to his knees, unable to stand any longer. His vision blurred repeatedly, as he struggled to hold on to his conscious. He couldn't pass out, not now. Hesitant hands grabbed hold of him, surprisingly gentle, and lifted him up into a sitting position. He felt his head lowered, until it was between his legs.

"Breathe," Gaara advised robotically, "Take long breaths."

He did as he was told. After only a few minutes, he felt the fainting spell pass.

"Thanks," he muttered tiredly.

"Get some rest," Gaara responded, turning away.

He took a few minutes to get his bearings, unable to move.

Eventually, his eyes drifted towards Minoru-sensei's body, which was now covered with a white sheet, as it lay, unmoving, on the futon. He felt a strange heaviness build in his heart, a heaviness which wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, he knew. Something…he'd probably never get used to.

A distant part of his mind _still_ couldn't believe it, repeating over and over that it was all a big joke. That Minoru-sensei wasn't dead. That he would get up and everything would be okay, just like before.

The rational part of his mind suddenly spoke up, declaring that it wasn't a joke, that Minoru-sensei was truly dead, gone forever, never to come back.

_Why?_ Why did such a thing happen? Why did Minoru-sensei sacrifice himself to save him? How could _he_ let such a thing happen? _How?_ The questions kept repeating over and over in his head, like a mantra. All he could do was sit there, completely at the mercy of them.

_No…_

He pushed those thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to mourn or voice his regrets. There would be plenty of time to do that later. For now, he had to be strong and keep his emotions in check.

Unconsciously, his hands had tightened into fists, his nails drawing blood. He didn't even notice, too distracted by his thoughts.

Minoru-sensei's last words came rushing back to him…

* * *

"_N-Naruto, I want you…to listen carefully…" Minoru-sensei whispered urgently, "You need to find my friend, Jiraiya…" He listened intently, his brain memorising the details his sensei provided. "…Jiraiya can be trusted… Tell him I'm sorry for what I did…he'll understand…Return to Konoha…and take my body with you… I want…to be buried there…" His tone softened, "There's so much…I want to say to you, but…there's not…enough time. I love you, Naruto… You were the best thing…that ever happened to me… Stay strong, my son…" He stopped, flinching in pain. _

_Naruto swallowed back the sob which was threatening to erupt. He gazed deeply into his sensei's eyes, seeing them filled with pain and worry…for him. Even in his current state, his sensei was still putting him first. He felt his eyes burn, but he pushed the tears back. _No_, he wouldn't cry… He had to stay strong, just like his sensei had told him. _

"_Sensei…" His voice came out broken, the sound of someone who was on the brink of losing everything and couldn't do anything to stop it. Minoru-sensei smiled weakly, his eyes losing focus._

"_Y-Your f-father would've been p-proud of you…"_

* * *

His body started to tremble, reacting to his emotions. He closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths, before opening them again. He had to stay strong, breaking down like this wasn't going to solve anything. He had more important things to take care of.

Shifting his eyes towards Gaara, who stood by the window, he observed him silently. Gaara had his back to him, gazing out of the window at nothing in particular. He couldn't help but feel curious. Why had he come back with him? They barely even knew one another, yet…it appeared like they did. He couldn't really explain why, it just seemed that way.

From what he'd learned about him so far, he seemed the type to avoid company, preferring to keep to himself. At least they had one thing in common, they were both alone.

"Why did you come back with me?" he couldn't help but ask. Gaara stiffened, his back tensing somewhat.

"You helped me," he answered after some time, "No one's ever helped me before."

Naruto noted the way he answered almost emotionlessly and it made him uneasy. Just what kind of life had Gaara led? Even though his answer had raised questions, Naruto didn't question him. Instead, he stood up and walked towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you came back with me, Gaara," he smiled sadly.

Gaara turned his head sharply towards him. Green eyes clashed with crystal blue, silently searching for any signs of dishonesty. Naruto met his gaze head on, wanting to prove he meant what he said. Gaara looked away eventually, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"How can you say that when you don't even know me…?" he wanted to know.

Naruto observed him intently and suddenly got the impression that this conversation was important. He had to choose his words carefully.

"I… I've always wanted to hang out with someone my age, but due to circumstances I couldn't... I never knew what it would be like to have a friend, even when I was a kid. It used to bother me, a lot… Even though I had sensei, it wasn't the same. I felt…lonely, which might seem stupid, but I did," his eyes suddenly brightened somewhat, "You're the first person I've been around for this long. I can't help but wish we could be friends…"

Gaara was openly shocked by his words. It almost seemed like the guy had never had anyone requesting to be friends with him, which couldn't possibly be true, could it? A long, awkward silence followed.

"I need to find someone called Jiraiya," Naruto finally broke the silence, "Sensei wanted to be buried in Konoha. He told me Jiraiya was his friend and that I could trust him. I'm going to need his help…" He paused, suddenly unsure, "I don't know if you want to come with me. I could use your help, but…it's up to you." He waited for Gaara to speak, secretly hoping he would agree to come with him.

"Why Konoha…?" Gaara questioned, looking back at him.

Naruto sighed; he was going to have to explain from the beginning. Though, he wasn't too sure if he could trust Gaara... After all, they barely even knew one another, right?

He thought long and hard about it. Gaara was willing to help him find this Jiraiya and when they did, he was going to have to explain who he was. If they ended up going back to Konoha, the truth about his past was going to be revealed, anyway. It was a big deal that someone like Gaara was willing to accompany him, so the least he could do was be honest. There was no reason to suspect Gaara's decision to help him.

"I think I should start from the beginning," he began, "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. We're from Konoha originally, but due to unfortunate happenings, we had to leave. Ever since then, we've been travelling from one place to another…"

He stopped, not knowing what else to say. What more was there to say? He couldn't bring himself to mention anything about his parents and the reason why they had to leave. It was a subject he was used to keeping quiet about.

"Where do we find this Jiraiya?" Gaara asked, surprising him. He'd been expecting that question, but not right away. He'd assumed that Gaara would question him further about his life.

"Sensei told me where to find him," he answered, "I think we should leave now, just in case he decides to leave in the morning. He's staying at a hotel not too far from here. We should get there before dawn." He noticed Gaara frown and looked towards him questioningly.

"I don't think you're in any condition to travel," Gaara pointed out.

"I'm fine," he assured him, more than a little touched by his concern. Gaara nodded, accepting his answer…

* * *

A short while later, after placing all his belongings in a scroll, Naruto carefully lifted his sensei's body. They were ready to leave.

"Do you want me to carry him?" Gaara offered unexpectedly, gesturing towards Minoru-sensei. He noticed Gaara looked a bit uncomfortable. Whether it had anything to do with his offer or not, he had no idea.

"No…" he answered softly, "This is something I need to do…" he looked down at the body covered with a white sheet, "I never got the chance to do anything for him, all these years. He always put me and my needs first, never thinking about himself. The least I can do is carry out his last wish. Thanks for asking though." Gaara nodded, appearing to be slightly bothered.

Naruto frowned, wondering what could be bothering him. So far, Gaara hadn't disclosed anything about himself. He wasn't too bothered, deciding it was best to wait until Gaara was ready to open up. Maybe he just needed more time to see if he could trust him.

With one last sweeping glance around the room, just to check they hadn't left anything behind, they slipped out quietly through the balcony door. Leaping onto the nearest building, they began making their way out of the village…

* * *

Moments before sunrise, Kakashi and his team had reached Konoha. They went to see the Hokage straight away.

She was sat at her desk, as usual, with paperwork scattered all around her. Dark circles lingered beneath her eyes, indicating she hadn't slept much, he noted. Shizune probably made her work till late again.

Tired, pure brown eyes widened in surprise, when she saw them. A reaction pretty much expected, considering they'd left only yesterday. Noticing the serious look on their faces, she pushed back the paperwork, much to Shizune's displeasure.

"What happened?"

"We found Gaara," Kakashi started, "We also found Minoru and the boy." Tsunade stared back, obviously taken aback by the news, while Shizune's mouth dropped open. Sakura, Sai and Sasuke observed silently with open inquisitiveness. They were, without a doubt, waiting eagerly to know what was going on.

"Explain," Tsunade spoke, her features matching her serious tone.

"He was with Gaara," he elucidated, "They were in the middle of a fight with two members of the Akatsuki. We got there seconds after Minoru was…killed, coming to the rescue of the boy…" He paused, giving her a few minutes to process the news of Minoru's death. She closed her eyes, her expression pained, and gestured at him to continue, "Somehow, the Kyuubi's Chakra was released…" She looked up sharply at that, her eyes wide, "…but, it didn't take over. I'm not too sure how he did it, but it seemed like he was in control of it."

"He defeated one of the Akatsuki, whose body we brought back, while Gaara took care of the other one. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. He used a Teleportation Jutsu and disappeared, before I could do anything, taking Gaara and Minoru's body with him."

Silence followed, while the Hokage looked solemnly back at him. Just like he'd thought, she wasn't too happy with the news. It was perfectly understandable, considering the situation. Due to his late response, they'd lost the first, and possibly last, opportunity to get hold of the boy. Who knows where he could be at this very moment?

"There's more…" he added, "He used a technique called the 'Rasen Shuriken' to defeat his opponent. I believe it's a development of the Rasengan, combined with Wind Chakra nature…"

"_Impossible_…" the Hokage interrupted him, slamming her fist on her desk, "How on earth could he know how to perform _that_ technique?"

"It's possible that Minoru taught him," he answered wearily. It was the only logical reason he could come up with. "He _was_ Minato-sensei's childhood friend, after all."

"Please excuse my rudeness, Tsunade-Sama," Sakura bowed her head apologetically," but_ who_ is he?"

Tsunade looked towards her student with surprise, as if she'd forgotten she was there. Her eyes lingered on her student briefly, before drifting towards the other two, silently measuring them up. After a very awkward silence, she spoke.

"You don't need to concern yourself with this matter, Sakura. None of you do," her tone was curt and to the point. Sakura, looking embarrassed, quickly apologised.

He wasn't surprised in the least, perfectly aware of why she didn't tell them. The reason was their team mate, Sai, who'd originally been put in their group after Sasuke's return. It was Danzo's way of keeping an eye on the Uchiha, waiting for the slightest indication that he was going to betray Konoha again. Tsunade was aware of this, that's why she'd told him to keep an eye on him from the very beginning. So far, he hadn't done anything worth mentioning.

If Danzo discovered they'd found the boy, only to let him slip away, he was sure to make a big fuss. Using his sneaky ways, he'd convince the rest of the Council to lead the investigation, searching for the boy himself. Either way, they had to keep this quiet.

"I need to speak to Kakashi alone, the rest of you are dismissed," the Hokage turned away, massaging her temple tiredly.

As the others left, his hand, unconsciously, began drifting towards his precious book. It pulled back rapidly, sensing the glare directed at him.

"_Don't_ even think about it," Tsunade threatened him…

* * *

The sun, a shimmering, gold disk, rose slowly above the horizon, instantaneously lighting up the dull morning. Yellow, orange, red and blue clashed with one another, creating a dazzling image, as he observed in silence, afraid if he spoke it'd shatter the peaceful moment around him. His blue eyes darkened in colour, as they eyed the scenery with awe. It was simply _beautiful_…

How many times had they stood like this, watching the sunrise in the morning, together? How many times had they shared those unique, never to be forgotten moments of peace? When they didn't have to worry about their problems, when they could simply _forget_… There'd been countless, so many that he'd lost count.

_No more…_

His fists tightened, his knuckles turning almost white, as he struggled to calm himself.

_Stay strong, my son…_

He took several long, deep breaths, the tensed muscles in his body relaxing slowly. When he felt fairly normal once more, he turned his attention away from the sky, settling for looking around him.

Directly in front of him, from where he was perched on a tree branch, was the hotel and Hot Spring Minoru-sensei had told him about. No one was about, predictably, it was still too early.

Leaping down, he headed towards the hotel entrance. The reception area was empty, save for the old man sat in front of a desk, a mug of steaming coffee in front of him. He smiled brightly when he saw him. Deciding he was the best person to ask for information, he approached him…

* * *

Garaa stood leaning against the tall tree with his arms folded, staring at nothing in particular. Lying on the ground beside him was the dead body of Naruto's sensei, which he, occasionally, couldn't help but glance at.

Naruto had gone off to find Jiraiya, asking him to wait here, out of sight. He didn't mind, seeing this as proof that Naruto trusted him. If he didn't, there was no way he would've left his sensei's body with him. The thought brought with it a sense of warmth. Something he wasn't too familiar with, something he'd spent all of his life without, something he, now that he'd tasted it, couldn't help but want more.

He was calm and collected, which was _odd_, considering the circumstances. His eyes, usually angry or impassive, were now filled with something they'd never ever thought to replicate. Tranquillity…

Yet, the rational thoughts in his head still lingered from earlier, even after he'd decided they weren't essential.

_Why was he even here? How could he trust someone he'd only just met?_

He ignored them. Why? It was simple really, because he…felt like it. That's right, he _felt _like it. Gaara of the sand had _feelings_. It'd come as a big shock to him. After all, he was someone who was known to have no feelings. Someone, who _didn't_ have a heart…

So, what brought on the sudden change?

After spending most of his life feeling unwanted and lonely, he finally found someone who wanted to be friends with him… Someone, who was willing to trust him…

The blue-eyed stranger had, undoubtedly, confused the hell out of him. Hearing his words had…gotten through to him somehow. It was strange, but…he couldn't help but feel they were similar. Even though Naruto knew nothing about him, there was a strong possibility he'd understand.

They were both alone, lonely, had led difficult lives, had the ability to conjure demonic Chakra and…suffered the pain of losing someone dear to them…

They were more alike than his companion realised.

From the time he'd sensed _that_ Chakra, during his fight with Hidan, his mind was troubled. It was evil, reminding him of what his body carried… He was curious, the questions lingering on the tip of his tongue throughout their journey here. In the end, he couldn't do it, he couldn't ask.

Instead, whilst travelling here, he'd used the silence wisely.

Putting all his confusion aside, he pondered over each question his conscious tossed at him. He went over everything Naruto had said to him, holding onto what he'd seen in those blue eyes – honesty. Those blue eyes would never lie to him, he realised.

A warm feeling had descended in the empty, pain-filled spot in the left side of his chest. A feeling he recognised as '_love_', having been told about it in his childhood. He pushed back the painful memories that appeared with that thought. Even after all this time, it _still_ hurt. Recalling anything to do with Yashamaru always filled him with pain.

Nearly all his life, he believed that he could preserve and confirm his own existence by killing any and all, who challenged it, securing an extreme form of existentialism as his key personality trait. In the absence of other's acknowledgement, he could compensate by valuing only himself to the exclusion of everyone else.

Unfortunately, the belief hadn't lasted long. After sticking to that conclusion for so many years, he'd finally broken down. That was when he'd decided to leave Sunagakure. He'd chosen to run from all those vile and petrified looks directed at him. If he hadn't, there was a possibility he'd have killed them all. It was becoming too much, keeping the demon inside him at bay. The slightest hate-filled look was enough to trigger it. Leaving had been the only option.

Three years. Three long years of being alone, avoiding everyone and just running, moving from one place to another. He was like the sun, rising from one side and setting at the next, yet…he wasn't. The sun was created for a purpose; it was warm, lighting up the whole world with its golden light. He, on the other hand, had questioned his existence like there was no tomorrow, he was cold, lacking any kind of warmth; only increasing fear and attracting hate. He was the complete _opposite_…

But now, all he could think of was the one person who hadn't looked at him with hate, who hadn't run away from fear and who wanted to be friends with him. His name was Naruto Uzumaki…

* * *

After questioning the guy at the front desk, Naruto was told the man resembling his description had left an hour ago. He swore silently, uttering a quick thank you and hurried outside. He looked left, then right, wondering which direction he could've taken.

The solution hit him instantly. Creating several Shadow Clones to assist him, they rapidly separated.

After searching for over an hour, one of the Clones finally spotted someone matching the description he'd memorised and disappeared with a 'poof'. Naruto immediately received the feedback from his Clone, his hands forming swift hand signs.

He appeared about a metre away from a tall figure, who sensed his presence at once. His eyes quickly scanned over him, noting his waist-length, spiky, white hair, the red lines that ran down from the eyes and the horned headband.

This was the guy his sensei had described, without a doubt.

"Who are you and what do you want?" the older man questioned him calmly.

"Are you Jiraiya-sama?" he asked. The man didn't flinch at the question, though his eyes narrowed slightly, the expression giving away the answer. Naruto waited patiently, his eyes never leaving the older man's inscrutable gaze. They seemed to be examining him. After what seemed like hours, he noticed the eyes widen a fraction, disbelief and hope evident in them.

"Is it _really_ you, Naruto?"

* * *

"What did you want to talk to me about, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi waited patiently, his hands shoved into his pockets, his lean body slouching in its usual lazy style.

Tsunade regarded him with a serious look, her eyes watching him carefully. There was an expectant look in her eyes as if she was waiting for something. He already had a brief idea of what this was about, ever since she'd dismissed Shizune, leaving just the two of them.

"Is something the matter?" he asked casually. The Hokage raised a brow at his question, as if she could tell he was feigning ignorance of what was to come.

"I was just curious about something," she played along nevertheless, her eyes narrowed. He continued to act nonchalant. Seeing he wasn't going to budge, she sighed.

"Some things will never change, isn't that right, Kakashi?" her tone resigned.

He had to give his leader credit, not many people could see what lay beneath his cool charade, for that was all it was, a charade. In the last couple of years, she'd watched him closely, trying to figure him out. He'd noticed, but didn't say anything…

"Seeing your sensei's son for the very first time didn't affect you in any way?" she interrupted his thoughts, her eyes still on him.

He froze at the question. Even though he'd been expecting it, to hear it spoken out loud was…different. Thoughts and emotions he'd kept under control resurfaced, as he pushed them back.

"It did," he found himself answering. She waited, as if he'd continue, but he didn't. Funnily enough, she'd been expecting it.

"So, who does he look like?" she asked, "Minato…? Kushina…? Or both…?"

"I don't know…" he answered truthfully, unable to keep the disappointment from tinting his words. She raised a brow, looking confused.

"You don't know?" she repeated slowly.

"He wears a mask, covering his entire head. The only features we were able to see were his eyes. He has Minato-sensei's eyes," he answered, picturing the boy in his head. Tsunade frowned, suddenly nodding.

"That's exactly what I'd expect from someone like Minoru," she said, pushing back her chair abruptly. He watched her get up and turn away from him, as she glanced at the village out of the window, "No wonder we couldn't find them," she added.

"We should inform Jiraiya-sama about what happened," he said, his tone gentle.

"Hmm," she seemed distracted, "I think it's time we called that old pervert back here, don't you?"

* * *

Naruto nodded once, confirming his identity. The older man shook his head, as if he still couldn't believe it. A smile had appeared on his face, his dark eyes brightening.

If the circumstances had been different, Naruto would've smiled at the display. Instead, his face was controlled, his eyes lacking their usual brightness.

"Minoru-sensei is dead," he said out loud, his tone lacking emotion.

The smile instantly vanished from the man's face, his eyes observing him with disbelief. Naruto swallowed back the guilt he felt; maybe he should've warned him beforehand.

"What did you say?"

"Exactly what you heard the first time," he replied softly, looking away, "Don't make me say it…again."

"I only saw him yesterday," Jiraiya's face hardened, his eyes reflecting pain, "How could such a thing happen?"

"He took the blow meant for me," Naruto told him, avoiding the startled gaze on him.

"What happened?" Jiraiya demanded. He quickly explained what'd happened, mentioning his sensei's last wish and the apology.

Jiraiya listened in silence, taking a while to process his words when he'd finished. His face hadn't loosened its stiffness throughout his explaining, Naruto noted. He waited, watching him mutely.

After only a moment, the older man walked towards him, his expression grim.

"There's so much we need to talk about, Naruto," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "but that can wait. We need to get to Konoha first and bury Minoru."

"Gaara's coming with me," he said, his tone firm. Jiraiya didn't look too surprised at his words.

"Sure, where are they?" he asked.

"I'll take us there," Naruto answered, grabbing hold of his arm. Before the older man could say anything, they'd teleported out of there…

* * *

Gaara looked up, sensing a shift in the air. Naruto and an older man, who he presumed was Jiraiya, appeared.

"Is everything okay, Gaara?" Naruto asked him, his blue eyes concerned. The strange sensation in his left chest reappeared and his lips twitched slightly.

"Yes," he replied. Everything was okay now…

* * *

Kotetsu stretched his arms lazily, looking up at the darkening sky. It was already evening, he concluded, shaking his head lightly. Glancing at his partner, Izumo, who was leaning back on his chair with his arms folded behind his head, staring at the evening sky, he smiled.

Guarding the gates of Konoha was a boring job, no matter how important it was. If it wasn't for Izumo's company, he probably would've asked the Hokage for a different position. But then again, the chances of them getting put together were slim and he couldn't risk a separation. They were a team, one which he'd come to treasure.

Suddenly sensing a familiar Chakra signature approaching, he looked towards the gates. Izumo mirrored his actions. Both men stared, noticeably alarmed, at the sight which met their eyes. Jiraiya-sama, the Legendary Sannin, accompanied by two younger men, one a redhead, the other wearing a mask, walked towards them, carrying what looked like a body covered with a white sheet.

They rose quickly, ready to ask questions, but backed off quickly when they saw Jiraiya-sama flash them a warning look.

Concerned, they watched in silence as the group walked past them, heading towards the village…

* * *

A/N: So, how was it? Please review and let me know what you think about the latest turn of events.

This chapter was difficult to write, because it was my first time writing Gaara's point of view. It took me hours trying to get it right. For me, he's one of the most difficult characters to write about, Kakashi being another. In the end, this was the best I could come out with. I don't know if you'll agree if it's in character or not.

This story, for me, is a big challenge. I always try to write something different, something no one else has written. I hope, with your support, I'll make this one of the best stories out there. Thanks, once again, for reading this and motivating me. It really means a lot!

Until next time… ^_^


	14. A Difficult Decision

A/N: Before I get to the bad news, I want to thank all the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the best! Thank you so much! :D

Now, for the bad news… My laptop broke down. I lost everything I wrote, including all the new chapters for this story. I put so much work and time into all of it. It broke my heart to see it all go to waste...

You're probably wondering how I managed to write this chapter. Well, some of it was written while I was at work and the rest was written on my phone. I'm currently working on getting a new laptop, so please bear with me. I'm going to try and continue to update as much as I can, though it could take a while.

Hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 13 – A Difficult Decision**

Naruto stood outside the Hokage's office, his blue eyes alert, his body visibly tensed. Gaara stood opposite him, perfectly calm, with his eyes trained on the wall in front of him. Neither had spoken ever since they'd arrived at the Hokage Tower.

Jiraiya-sama had told them to wait outside while he spoke to the Hokage alone, mentioning it was best for him to explain everything before she saw them. Ever since he'd closed that door behind him, Naruto felt the tension kick in.

He didn't trust any of them, not one little bit. He'd already made that clear not so long ago. It was why Minoru-sensei's body was being guarded by his Shadow Clone downstairs, instead of being entrusted to the people here.

The only reason why he'd gone to find Jiraiya-sama in the first place was because he needed to get inside Konoha. Without him, it wasn't possible. Even though this was the last place he wanted to be, he wasn't too bothered. Right now, for him, his sensei's last wish held greater importance than anything else, even his own personal feelings.

Konoha meant nothing to him, never had. Ever since he'd discovered the truth about his past, he hadn't been able to hold back the pain and anger he felt.

How could they…? How could they think of killing an innocent baby? Was this how Konoha repaid its Hokage, after he'd sacrificed everything for them, by taking the life of his only child?

It wasn't easy to forget such things, not even for someone like him. How could he when because of them, sensei had been forced to leave his home in order to save his life. Because of them, they had to spend the last sixteen years running and hiding. It was _all_ because of them…

Even now, just thinking about it all made his blood boil. He wanted to lash out, make them pay for what they'd done. He wanted to cause them pain, make them suffer, give them a taste of what he felt…

But he couldn't… He couldn't do _any_ of it. Even though he felt the urge, he just couldn't.

Minoru-sensei wouldn't have wanted him to follow such a path. He wouldn't have wanted him to throw away his life to such emotions. Ever since he was a child, his sensei had taught him to always follow the right path, to avoid the wrong one. To even consider revenge would be an insult to his teachings.

He'd witnessed firsthand what revenge could do to a person. The amount of pain and suffering it caused. He couldn't imagine losing his soul to hatred, only to live a life worse than death.

Even though Konoha had made them suffer, sensei never expressed any hatred towards his old home, not even once. Whenever he'd mentioned his village, sensei would get that distant look in his eyes, a look he eventually decrypted. It was a pained look, filled with longing...

It became clear to him a long time ago how much Minoru-sensei had cared about Konoha. How much he'd treasured it, just like his father had done.

He couldn't destroy what they'd loved so much, what meant so much to them.

That didn't mean he could forgive them, or even think of trusting them. This wasn't his home, never had been. Konoha wasn't something he loved or cherished. It wasn't part of him and probably never would be…

"Naruto…?" Startled, he looked up to see Gaara standing before him, frowning.

"Uh…sorry about that," he answered, quickly realising it probably wasn't the first time his new friend had called out to him, "I guess I wasn't paying attention."

Gaara continued to observe him silently, his gaze so probing it felt like he could see right through him.

"Over thinking never helps," he finally said, "You'll only give yourself a headache."

"True," Naruto agreed ironically...

* * *

Tsunade had quickly gotten over her surprise at seeing Jiraiya, when she noticed the grim look on his face. It only lasted until he announced why he was here and who he'd brought with him.

While she looked on astounded, he quickly went about explaining everything. Before he'd even finished, she felt her earlier headache resurfacing. Today was turning out to _quite_ eventful, she mused tiredly. Her brain felt like it was going to explode with all the thinking she'd been doing lately.

Ignoring the pounding in her head, she decided on the next course of action. It would be best to get Kakashi here, considering he'd already met the boy. He was, after all, one of the selected few who could be trusted with this situation. After meeting Naruto, she was going to have to confront the council. There was no way she could keep something so important from them. It was a meeting she was_ not_ looking forward to. They were going to make this a big issue, without a doubt.

"Shizune," she looked towards her assistant, who was looking very much tensed. It would seem she'd already guessed how complicated things were going to get from here on. "Get Kakashi here immediately."

Shizune nodded quickly and left without another word.

"Where is he?" she asked, her eyes shifting towards Jiraiya.

"He's waiting outside with Gaara," he answered, giving her a concerned look. She leaned forward in her chair, looking thoughtful.

"I need to speak to him," she said. He nodded and turned to leave. She watched him as he opened the door and paused in the doorway.

"She's ready to see you now," she heard him say. Her body leaned forward slightly, her eyes waiting keenly to get a glimpse of the boy. Jiraiya stood to one side, letting him through.

The first thing she noticed when he walked in was the mask covering his head. Familiar blue eyes locked with hers. Minato's eyes to be exact, she noted numbly. Kakashi had been right, after all…

* * *

It was silent around him, a peaceful silence. One only disturbed by the frequent sounds of nature making themselves known. The gentle wind making the leaves flutter as they danced in the air. The occasional bird tweeting randomly, with the constant chirping of crickets as they wandered aimlessly. The usual sounds you'd hear at this time of the evening, he noted quietly.

These particular sounds were like music to his ears, accompanying him as he strolled through Konoha's graveyard. His feet led him down the all too familiar path which had grown accustomed to his presence, almost like it waited expectedly for him, giving him the company it sensed he needed. It greeted him like an old friend, smiling, happy to see him once more. He couldn't help but smile back, even though it was hidden from view, beneath his mask.

Once he'd reached his destination, he stopped. He stood in front of the monument, acknowledging it like another old friend. A lone, dark eye began its usual task of pinpointing the names it was used to gazing at, as if by some miracle they'd vanish, bringing his precious people back to life. He knew it was wishful thinking, yet he was unable to help himself.

"Obito… Rin… sensei…" He greeted them, just like he did on a daily basis.

There was no answer, of course.

Still, what he wouldn't do to hear their voices again… To hear Obito's stupid excuses as to why he was late to yet another group meeting, to hear Rin soft voice attempting to pacify their daily arguments, to hear sensei's words of wisdom…

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Even now, after so many years, the pain of loss was still fresh, as if it'd happened only yesterday, tearing into him, bringing back all the raw memories and emotions he'd failed to forget. It reminded him of all his failures, which continued to haunt him day and night.

His body tensed on impulse, sensing the sudden flood of emotions. His visible eye lost its coolness, revealing the very depths of his soul. A display very few had seen.

And just as quickly as it'd happened, the strain left his body and the composed look returned in his eye. He was back to his usual carefree, aloof self.

He didn't bother turning around, having sensed the presence before it'd fully appeared.

"Kakashi-san," the ANBU agent greeted him, "Hokage-sama has requested your attendance _immediately_. She said it was very urgent."

He turned to face the ANBU, giving him a brief nod. Satisfied that his message had been received, the ANBU quickly vanished. Looking up into the darkening sky, Kakashi narrowed his visible eye, silently wondering what could be so urgent this time…

* * *

Naruto observed the Hokage silently as she sat at her desk, studying him with vigilant, brown eyes. These particular eyes, he noted, didn't miss anything, not even the tiniest bit of information.

Ever since they'd walked into the office, she hadn't been able to take her eyes off him. Her look appeared to be assessing, as if she was sizing him up.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Naruto," she said, before looking towards Gaara, "And you too, Gaara." He answered with a curt nod, noticing Gaara copying his action from the corner of his eye.

"Jiraiya has already informed me about what's happened," she paused suddenly, her eyes looking sorrowful, "I'm sorry for your loss, Naruto." He felt a muscle twitch in his jaw, but otherwise continued to appear calm on the outside. There was no point getting worked up.

"I'm sure he's also told you about sensei's last wish," he said out loud, deciding it was best to get straight to the point. She nodded, exchanging looks with Jiraiya-sama, who stood to one side over by the window.

There was suddenly a knock at the window. Everyone except for the Hokage, who expressed a loud sigh, looked towards the window. He was slightly surprised to see Kakashi standing there, his eye fixated on him. The surprise was evident in his gaze as he stepped inside the room.

"Why can't you use the door like everyone else, Kakashi?" Tsunade-sama muttered in annoyance.

"You requested to see me immediately, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi answered cheerfully, his gaze still locked on him, "The window was the quickest option."

The Hokage muttered something which resembled closely to "Bullshit," before she introduced them, not that there was any need for it.

"So, now that we've covered the pleasantries, what are we waiting for?" he asked, his tone clearly expressing his irritation, "We can't leave sensei's body lying around much longer. He needs to be buried."

"I understand that, Naruto," she answered immediately, "But…it's not that simple…"

"What do you mean by that?" he demanded sharply, his blue eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Naruto," he looked towards Jiraiya-sama, "this is why I needed to speak to Tsunade beforehand. You see, allowing Minoru to be buried here in Konoha is not her decision alone. This is a decision which has to be approved by the council as well. When Minoru left Konoha and took you with him, he was automatically listed as a Rogue-ninja. No one knew why he left, so it was assumed he'd abandoned the village."

He couldn't believe this was happening… Even though he'd been expecting the questions, for it was perfectly understandable, he'd never considered there was a chance they'd refuse to allow sensei to be buried here.

"Jiraiya mentioned a conversation with Minoru before his death," the Hokage interrupted his thoughts, "He told him why he took you and left, which I'll assume you already know about?"

"Sensei told me what happened that night," he answered stonily, "He also told me _why_ he did what he did."

There was suddenly an awkward silence in the room. It was caused more by the coldness in his voice than his actual words. The Hokage sighed and looked away, a regretful look crossing her face.

"Your anger is completely understandable, Naruto. I know it must have caused you great pain to learn such a truth, but," she looked up at him again, her eyes firm, "what happened could've been _prevented_. Minoru was quick to react when he overheard the Third Hokage and the Council talking. What he didn't stop to consider was this – the Third Hokage would've _never_ allowed such a thing to happen."

"She's right, Naruto," Jiraiya spoke up before he could think of a reply, "The Third Hokage was a kind man. He always avoided bloodshed, choosing to do things peacefully. He cared greatly about everyone in Konoha and considered them as one of his own. He too sacrificed his life to save what he truly cared about, just like your father did.

Ever since the day you were taken from Konoha, till the day he died, he lived with the regret of not being able to find you. He told me it was his biggest failure, that he'd let down your father by not protecting you…"

He listened in silence, letting their words sink in. There was no hint of untruthfulness in what they said, from what he could tell. But he couldn't think about all this right now. He was here to bury sensei, not hear explanations.

"I don't want to hear your explanations," he answered eventually, "I'm only interested in fulfilling sensei's last wish. It's the reason why I came here in the first place. If I have to, I'll talk to the Council as well. Just take me to them."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Hokage have the final say in every matter, regardless of what the Council want?" Gaara interrupted them unexpectedly.

Naruto looked towards him, surprised, before his gaze returned to the Hokage, waiting for an explanation.

"That's right, but this is a different matter," she answered grimly, "There's no way they'd allow something like this. I should know, since I have to deal with them on a regular basis…"

"There's one way of convincing them," Kakashi announced out of the blue. Everyone's eyes shifted towards him, waiting for him to continue. His visible eye, on the other hand, remained locked on Naruto. "But it depends entirely on what you have planned."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Are you planning on staying in Konoha from now on?" Kakashi questioned him.

The question caught him off guard, since he hadn't been expecting it. Ever since they'd arrived here, he hadn't really thought about what he was going to do afterwards. His mind had been too busy stressing over Minoru-sensei's last wish. That and the fact that he didn't trust them…

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "I haven't really thought about it."

"If you decided to stay here from now on, it'd be enough to convince them," Kakashi told him, "Tsunade-sama could easily argue that it's the only way to keep you here. There's no way they'd allow it, if you decided to leave."

"I have to say I totally agree with what Kakashi said," Jiraiya-sama added, "Those old fools won't have anything to say to that."

"So, what do you say, Naruto?" Tsunade-sama looked expectant, a smile gracing her lips, "Will you stay in Konoha?"

There was no other choice; he was going to have to stay. If this was the only way to fulfil Minoru-sensei's wish, then so be it. But there was one thing he had to ask, before he announced his decision.

"If I decide to stay, will Gaara be allowed to stay with me?" he asked, ignoring the surprise emitting from the red-head beside him.

"Has Gaara told you anything about himself?" Tsunade-sama asked instead, shifting her gaze towards Gaara.

"No, I haven't," Gaara answered emotionlessly, "But I was planning on doing so."

"Well, now would be the best time, wouldn't you say?" she responded.

"He doesn't have to, if he doesn't want to," Naruto put in firmly.

"But it's important that he does, since he's perfectly aware why I can't keep him here for too long," she replied seriously.

Naruto looked from one to the other, confusion evident in his eyes.

"I'm originally from Sunagakure," Gaara began, looking towards him, "But I left my village three years ago. I am a Jinchuriki, just like I suspect you are."

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard the last sentence, wondering if he was hearing things. Did Gaara just say he was a Jinchuriki? Just like him? But how was that possible?

"I don't understand," he muttered, "I didn't know there were others like me…"

"There are a total of nine Jinchurikis altogether," Jiraiya-sama explained, "Sealed inside each of them is a Tailed Beast. Gaara has Shukaku, the One-Tail, inside him, while you have the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tails, inside you."

"What about the other seven?" he was curious to know.

"Let me explain from the beginning," Jiraiya-sama continued, "It all started with the very first Jinchuriki, the Sage of the Six Paths, who sealed the Ten-Tails inside himself to save the world. However, knowing that his death would release the Ten-Tails back into the world, the Sage divided its Chakra into the Nine Tailed Beasts, before sealing its body away, which later would become the moon. By the time of the formation of the shinobi villages, Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, used his Wood Release techniques to capture and give several Tailed Beasts to the other shinobi villages as peace treaties, in order to stabilise the balance of power between them."

His hands clenched into fists when he heard the last sentence. "So, that's the reason why we're _used _as sacrifices?" his tone dripped with sarcasm, "For the sake of balancing power between the villages."

His words made everyone, except for Gaara, look away with discomfort.

"Did Minoru never tell you any of this?" Tsunade-sama couldn't help but ask.

"No," he looked away, "He never told me anything about what was sealed inside me. Though I always had a feeling he knew… It was like he was protecting me from the truth."

It wasn't the whole truth, but they didn't need to know that. They didn't need to know about his regular interactions with the beast inside him. They didn't need to know that Kyuubi had told him the truth about who he was many years ago, in hopes that he'd get revenge. This was before sensei had told him the truth about his parents and where he was from originally. Though he'd been surprised the beast hadn't told him that as well.

"If you decide to stay, I'll let Gaara stay here for a few days," Tsunade-sama spoke, "But only for a few days. I can't keep him here for much longer. He's listed as a Rogue-ninja. If Sunagakure find out we're keeping him here, it could mean a breach of the treaty between our villages, which I can't allow."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Naruto," Gaara assured him, "I wasn't planning on sticking around for long…"

"But…" He started to argue.

"I can't stay here," Gaara interrupted him, "Even if Tsunade-sama had allowed it, I still wouldn't."

Troubled, Naruto quickly turned to the Hokage, "You can't let him leave! What if those guys come looking for him again?"

She sighed, "I'm sorry. As much as I want to help you, I can't," she turned to Gaara, "It'd be best for you to return to Sunagakure. They will be able to protect you. I don't know your reasons for leaving in the first place, but running from your troubles isn't the solution. I will have one of my best teams accompany you back to Sunagakure when you leave."

Gaara nodded, "Thank you for letting me stay here for a few days, Hokage-sama."

She smiled, before turning to Naruto, "So, have you decided yet?"

He wasn't happy with the current situation, but it was out of his hands. When Gaara wasn't planning on staying for no more than a few days, what could he do? He sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of helplessness. As much as he wanted to help his friend, he couldn't. It wasn't fair…

"I'll stay," he said out loud…

* * *

Sometime later, in Konoha's graveyard, Naruto stood over a recently placed grave, staring at the name arched on the gravestone with unblinking blue eyes.

_Minoru Yasui. Beloved sensei... Will be forever missed…_

His eyes felt like they were burning, but no tears would fall. He hadn't cried yet, not even once. They would make an appearance eventually, most likely when he was alone.

_Sensei… I was able to fulfil your last wish. _

The thought caused a sudden explosion of emotions so powerful it nearly brought him to his knees. _No_, not yet. He had to stay strong for just a bit longer. He couldn't fall weak. He couldn't allow his emotions to get the best of him.

With a heavy heart, he leant forward to place a single daffodil on the grave…

* * *

Gaara stood a respectable distance away, examining his new friend silently. He noted the obvious tension in his body, wondering how he could find the strength to hold his emotions in. It was hard, very hard.

He knew all about pain, having experienced it all his life. He knew how it felt when the heart felt like it was about to burst with sorrow. It was a feeling unlike any other, so powerful you could drown in it and keep on drowning until the ability to feel would be lost. Then there would be nothing, only a body without a soul. Complete emptiness…

It was almost funny how one simple interaction had been enough to make him feel again. How one simple friend request had filled his cold, bitter heart with warmth. How one look of trust and kindness from those blue eyes had been like a cure from a life-threatening disease.

Naruto genuinely cared about him. It was enough to make his heart pump with happiness…

"Gaara..?" he snapped out of his thoughts, surprised to see Naruto standing in front of him, "Let's go."

He nodded, following him out of the lighted graveyard…

* * *

"What do you mean I made a big mistake?" Tsunade almost yelled, resisting the urge to slam her fist in the table in front of her.

Homura, unfazed, gave her a look of disapproval. "You should've come to us sooner."

Koharu nodded in agreement, her lips thinned tightly, "How could you make such a big decision on your own, Tsunade?"

Tsunade took a deep breath, counting to ten slowly in her head. She couldn't let them get to her. Even though she felt like throwing the two of them head-first into the closest wall, she couldn't.

"I didn't have a choice," she answered after calming herself down, "If I hadn't given him an answer, he would've left and I couldn't let that happen. You know the situation with the Akatsuki. You know how important it is to keep him here, out of danger. I don't care what happened all those years back. It has nothing to do with what's happening now. Naruto's here and that's all I care about."

"You allowed a traitor to be buried here, Tsunade," Homura narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, "How could you?"

"Minoru was a good man," Tsunade answered coldly, "He did what he did because he thought it was right thing to do at the time. His intentions weren't bad. He wasn't trying to harm Konoha. He was just trying to save the life of his best friend's only child. I don't see anything treacherous about his actions."

"It was merely a suggestion from our side at the time," Koharu clarified stiffly, "We were only thinking about Konoha's welfare."

Tsunade resisted the urge to snort, knowing it wouldn't be appreciated. She was the Fifth Hokage, after all. Such behaviour wasn't accepted from her.

"I want to meet him," Homura announced suddenly, straightening his glasses.

"Fine," Tsunade answered, getting up, "He should be on his way back to my office by now."

She nodded at Jiraiya, who'd decided to accompany her to this meeting. It was a good thing he had done, since he was on good terms with the Elders. He'd been very helpful with the explanations. Like always, she could rely on him to be there for her.

The meeting had gone down pretty much how she'd expected it to. They weren't too happy about Gaara's temporary stay, nor Minoru's burial here in Konoha. On the other hand, they were ecstatic to hear about the Jinchuriki's return.

It'd always been a sensitive subject for them, ever since Minoru had left the village. They were afraid the other villages would learn the truth and make plans to attack them. It was always about power for them, just like it was for Danzo.

She was expecting him to appear sooner or later. No doubt he'd find out what happened from the Elders once they'd met Naruto. She knew he was going to get involved somehow, just like he'd done when Sasuke returned. What exactly he was going to do, she'd no idea. There was one thing she was absolutely certain about though. Whatever he was going to plan, she wasn't going to like. Not one little bit…

* * *

Kakashi stood outside Konoha's graveyard, waiting for Naruto and Gaara to finish. He didn't want to intrude on something so personal. He would go to pay his respects to Minoru later.

He _still _couldn't believe his sensei's son was here, in Konoha. When he'd entered Tsunade-sama's office earlier, he hadn't been able to hold back the surprise he felt. After their last encounter, he hadn't been expecting to see Naruto so soon.

Minoru had done the right thing by telling Naruto to come here. He didn't care what anyone else thought about his sensei's best friend. The man had sacrificed everything for the sake of friendship, even his own life. In his opinion, what Minoru did deserved the highest respect. In their world there were very few like him. Having a burial here in Konoha was something he deserved.

Naruto had been quiet ever since he'd announced he'd stay here. The boy intrigued him. As much as he wanted to see what lay underneath his mask, he was also curious to see what he was like. Was he like his father or his mother? There had to be some similarities.

So far, from what he'd seen, he hadn't been able to learn much about him, except for the fact he was an extremely talented Shinobi. He couldn't wait to see what else Minoru had taught him. Maybe they could have a spar session?

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted both of them leaving the graveyard. Turning the page of his book, he stepped away from the tree he was leaning against and started walking away. He felt them follow…

* * *

Naruto followed Kakashi back to the Hokage Tower, with Gaara walking beside him. It was now completely dark outside, save for the bright moonlight and the occasional street lamp they walked past. Konoha's streets were mostly empty by now. There was no light coming from any of the houses around them. People liked to get an early night around here, his mind noted vaguely.

He was tired, so damn tired. He couldn't even recall the last time he slept, yet his eyes were wide open. His body felt like lead, yet he continued to walk. Everything that'd happened in the last twenty four hours was still very much fresh in his mind, keeping him awake. So much had happened… So much had changed… It was too much for his mind and heart to digest all at once.

He was going to stay here in Konoha, the very place that he'd been avoiding for so long. It was a disturbing thought. Never in a million years had he expected to land where he was now.

He didn't know what he was going to do now. With Gaara leaving in a few days, the thought of being alone once again was worrying him. He didn't feel right about Gaara's decision, even though he couldn't think of any way to keep him close. He wanted to protect his friend.

"Gaara...?" the red-head looked towards him enquiringly. He hesitated, not sure if he should voice his concern out loud. "Do you really have to leave?" he found himself muttering instead.

Silence followed. He waited for his friend to speak, keeping his head down, not wanting the display of emotions in his eyes to be seen.

"I can't keep running forever, Naruto," Gaara answered softly, "It was kind of Hokage-sama to let me stay for a few days, considering the situation. I wasn't expecting it…"

"What's going to happen once you return?" Naruto asked quietly.

Gaara looked into the night sky, clearly thinking through his thoughts. "I don't know," he admitted, "Most likely they'll punish me for leaving in the first place."

Naruto turned his head to face him sharply, "Then why go back?" He struggled to hold back the anger he felt, even more so when he saw the distant look appear on Gaara's face.

"Our world is too cruel, Naruto," Gaara muttered emotionlessly, "I'm sure you've seen enough in your travels. No matter how much we run from it all, we fail to escape from it. Until we don't learn to face it, we can never truly be at peace. As Jinchurikis, we have to be prepared to suffer the hatred and anger directed at us. You were lucky. Your sensei saved you from all of that. He must've known from the beginning."

Naruto didn't know how to respond to that. A lump had formed in his throat, threatening to escape. He swallowed it back painfully, blinking back the tears which were on the verge of spilling.

_Gaara…_

He wanted so badly to take away all the pain he felt, but he couldn't. The frustration ate at him, threatening to envelope him entirely. It wasn't fair… Gaara didn't deserve the life he'd led.

A life he'd have had to endure, if sensei hadn't saved him. He suddenly felt guilty. Why did Gaara have to suffer and he didn't? Why?

_Why, sensei? Why did you save me? Why did you sacrifice everything for my sake…? _

* * *

Several feet away, the silver-haired ninja closed his eyes, having heard the entire conversation. His book lay open in his hand, totally forgotten…

* * *

A/N: Please tell me you liked it! This chapter was very hard to write. I think I'm happy with the direction I've taken the story.

Please review… I seriously need some cheering up! ^_^


	15. Breakdown

A/N: You probably weren't expecting such a quick update, but it couldn't be helped. Since I was in a bit of a depressing mood, I thought it'd best to make good use of it.

Thank you to all the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter, especially the ones who have done so from the very beginning. Your generous feedback never fails to put a smile on my face. I've noticed this story has turned out to be very much appreciated, judging from all the story alerts and favourites. I'm sure you can imagine how happy that's made me. Though it'd be even better if you could spare the time to leave me some feedback! Even if it's to say you liked the chapter. I'm sure that's not too much to ask! ;)

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 14 - Breakdown**

Naruto stood back while Kakashi knocked on the door of the Hokage's office. He found himself examining the silver-haired ninja as they waited.

Kakashi was definitely the kind who kept to himself, only speaking when it was necessary, he noted. He hadn't so much as spoken a word to either him or Gaara on their journey to the graveyard and back. Naruto was grateful for that in a way. With so much on his mind, he wasn't in the mood to talk. There was no doubt Kakashi had overheard his conversation with Gaara, yet he hadn't commented or interfered in any way. He didn't know what to make of it.

When they were given permission to enter, they walked in one at a time, with Gaara entering last.

The first thing he noticed was the newcomers. An elderly man and woman were seated close to Tsunade-sama's desk, while the Hokage sat in her usual seat behind her desk. Jiraiya-sama, like before, was standing over by the window.

"Naruto," Tsunade-sama looked directly at him, "I'd like you to meet Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane… They are the members of Konoha's Council."

He froze when he heard the last sentence, his eyes instantly turning cold. He turned his head to face them, noticing them examining him closely.

The feelings of hate inside him resurfaced. The need to say something, _anything_, to express his hatred began to build inside him. As much as he tried to calm himself down, he couldn't. In the end, the need won over his self-control. "So, it was _you_ who wanted me dead?" he said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Their instant reaction was almost comical. Both looked shocked, clearly taken aback by his words.

Tsunade-sama sighed, "Naruto..." The warning was clear in her tone.

His eyes turned away from them, looking towards the Hokage instead. There was no hint of disapproval in her eyes, he noted. She must've been expecting him to say something.

By now, the Council members had gotten over their shock, their faces quickly displaying their disapproval. "It was merely a suggestion at the time, boy," Koharu stated with a frown, "After the Kyuubi attacked the village; we were worried the seal wouldn't hold. We couldn't risk the lives of the villagers."

Naruto looked towards them sharply. "That's not good enough and you know it! If my father thought the seal wouldn't hold, he wouldn't have bothered sealing the Kyuubi inside me in the first place."

They clearly had nothing to say in response to that, judging from their grim expressions.

"That may be so," Homura answered eventually, a frown on his face, "but we had to consider the facts. You were merely hours old when Minato sealed the Kyuubi inside you. There was no guarantee the seal would hold on a newborn baby, since all the past Jinchurikis were much older."

"Well, apparently it _did _hold," Naruto tossed back angrily, "The proof for that is standing here, right in front of you!"

"True," Homura answered calmly, "Even so, there was no need for Minoru to leave with you simply because he overheard us…"

"You were talking about _killing me_!" Naruto interrupted him, almost yelling, "What did you expect him to do? Wait around until he was hundred percent sure? After what the Fourth Hokage did for this village, you didn't even think twice before you mentioned about killing his only son? Did his sacrifice not mean _anything_ to you? Was that your way of saying thanks?"

His voice shook with emotion, the disgust and hostility in his words evident for all to hear. All these years, he'd kept his resentment locked up tight inside him. It'd been hard, coming close to snapping so many times. No matter how hard he tried to forget, he'd always be reminded of it.

And now, when he was face to face with the very people who were responsible for all their troubles, he couldn't help himself. There was no sense of guilt in their demeanour, he realised. They clearly thought their actions had been justified, even though he thought otherwise.

"Sensei protected me when he didn't have to," he continued, the pain evident in his tone, "He left everything for my sake, without a second thought. We weren't even related, yet he treated me like a son. In the end, he didn't even hesitate to sacrifice his own life to save mine. I don't care what you think of him, but, for me, he was…everything - a father, a mother, a sensei and a friend," his voice suddenly hardened, "I won't tolerate _anyone_ speaking ill of him."

They were stunned by his outburst, all of them. Even the Hokage was silent. Maybe she sensed he needed to get all of this off his chest. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jiraiya-sama.

"It's okay, Naruto," he comforted, "Calm down."

"Tsunade," Koharu stood up, "We'll be leaving now. This matter has been discussed enough."

"My thoughts exactly," Homura agreed, "Our only concern was the Jinchuriki's absence and that's been taken care of."

Naruto opened his mouth to make a retort but stopped when the hand on his shoulder squeezed warningly. Tsunade-sama nodded and they left without another word. As soon as the door closed behind them, she slumped forward on her desk, clearly glad they'd left.

"Those old fools," she muttered to herself.

"Tsunade," Jiraiya-sama spoke, "I think that's enough for today."

She sighed and looked up, "You're right," she turned her attention to Naruto, her features softening. "I understand how you feel, Naruto. I know how hard it must be for you to come here, after everything that has happened. If there weren't people here who could be trusted or who didn't genuinely care about you, Minoru would've never told you to come here. Even if it meant getting buried somewhere else. I want you to remember that."

Her words took him by surprise, helping somewhat in calming him down. She didn't seem like a bad person, from what he'd seen so far. By the looks of it, she didn't like the Council either, which earned her another plus. The tension in his body slowly deflated, causing him to slouch noticeably.

She smiled, "I think it's time you get some rest," she announced, "You and Gaara will reside together for the next couple of days, until we sort out a permanent residence for you. Kakashi will be staying with you till then, just to keep an eye on things," she looked towards Kakashi, who hadn't spoken since entering the room, "Isn't that right, Kakashi?"

The Copy Ninja nodded, seeing the adamant look on the Hokage's face, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good," she seemed pleased, "I want you to go see Shizune. She'll explain where you'll be staying. Any questions you may have, you can ask her."

Kakashi nodded and turned to leave, opening the door for them. He quickly disappeared outside, Gaara following behind him.

"Naruto," Tsunade-sama called out before he stepped outside. He turned back to look at her. She smiled, "Welcome home..."

* * *

After speaking to Shizune, Kakashi led the other two out of the Hokage Tower. His mind was preoccupied, mostly to do with what'd occurred in the Hokage's office.

He would be lying if he said it hadn't affected him. Never had he imagined that the Council would be the reason behind Minoru taking Naruto from Konoha all those years back. He knew the Council took their role a bit too seriously, but to even consider killing a baby, who was not at fault in any way, was cold, even for them. He suspected Danzo had also been involved. Only he could influence the Council in such a way.

Lucky for them, he was an expert at masking his emotions. Otherwise, they would've sensed the anger he felt. How could they even think of killing his sensei's son? After everything he'd done for Konoha…

It was a good thing Naruto had taken the opportunity to lash out though. The Council would think twice before approaching him after this. There was no doubt they'd want to keep this quiet.

He also had a feeling Tsunade-sama knew Naruto was going to snap when he saw them. No wonder she hadn't mentioned anything to them beforehand. It was satisfying to see them literally speechless for a change, especially for her. She must've suspected their reasons for seeing Naruto from the beginning and sneakily put an end to it. The only problem now was Danzo. He would make an appearance soon, without a doubt.

He turned his attention back to the other two, who were still following him silently. They were an odd pair, different, yet so alike. Both had led difficult lives and shared the same fate as Jinchurikis. It was the very reason why they were able to trust one another, he suspected.

He paused when they'd reached their destination, glancing at the tall building in front of them. Shizune had found them a temporary three-bedroom apartment to stay at. It was only for the next few days, whilst Gaara was here. Naruto would get his own apartment later and he could return to his own.

"This is it," he said, walking towards the staircase. They followed him up the stairs, until they'd reached the very top. Removing a key from his pocket, he slipped it inside the keyhole and turned the door handle. He pushed open the door and entered, looking around for the light switch. He found it eventually and switched it on, instantly flooding the dark room with light.

They were standing in a spacious room, with an adjoining kitchen in the far left. The only furniture in the room was the large couch on the right, with a table in front of it. Over on the left, there was a round table with four chairs. The kitchen was small, just the perfect size really. The four doors he quickly noted, obviously led to the bathroom and the bedrooms.

He turned to face Naruto and Gaara, who were currently stood by the front door, taking in their surroundings. "Go ahead and pick a room," he told them, "I need to make a quick journey home and pick up a few things. I'll get some food for you on the way back."

Not waiting around for a reply, he quickly left, closing the door behind him...

* * *

Naruto headed towards the closest door and opened it. He turned on the light and looked around. The room was small, with enough room for a single bed, a closet and a chest of drawers. None of that really interested him, it was the size of the window that did. Fortunately for him, it was the type which slid open, which meant it'd be easy for him to get in and out without any problem.

Turning back around, he noticed Gaara standing in the doorway, watching him.

"Do you think you can trust them?" Gaara asked him.

He sighed, "To be honest, I don't know," he answered tiredly, "It's too early for me to decide."

Gaara nodded, "You should be careful around all of them," he advised, "At least until you can trust them."

"Yeah," he agreed, walking towards the bed. He sat down, letting his body fall sideways. When his head hit the pillow, he closed his eyes, exhaling tiredly.

"Get some rest," Gaara told him, closing the door shut behind him.

Dimly, his hearing picked up sounds of a door closing nearby. His eyes reopened, staring unseeingly at the ceiling. Almost unconsciously, he sat up in bed and stood up. Walking towards the window, he slid it open and slipped outside.

He welcomed the cool breeze as he leapt into the air, landing soundlessly on the ground below. After a quick look around, he took off.

He kept his mind empty of thoughts as he leapt over building after building, letting his body take control. He barely acknowledged his surroundings blurring past, so intent he was of getting to his destination. After only a few minutes, he stopped. The entrance of the graveyard stood before him. Taking a deep breath, he started towards it.

The past two days had been long and stressing for him. Never had he felt so completely drained, mentally as well as physically. It'd been so hard to keep all his emotions in check, especially with everything that'd happened lately. He was tired, so damn tired. He didn't have the strength to keep it in any more.

_Sensei…_

One word, just _one_ word, was enough to break all his walls. He felt them crash down one after another, releasing all the emotions he'd kept locked up tight inside his heart. His body dropped heavily in front of the grave, his hands clenching into fists. Slowly, ever so slowly, his body started to tremble.

"_Sensei_…" his voice shook.

Images flashed through his mind. Sensei stood protectively in front of him, his blood splattered everywhere… Sensei lying in his arms, uttering his last words… Sensei's still body, the pain-filled smile on his face...

He gasped, clutching his heart. It _hurt_, so, so much. Unlike anything he'd felt before in his life. His heart felt like it was breaking, as if he was dying.

The sob which had been building up inside his chest broke free. Sounds of heart-wrenching cries erupted from his throat, breaking the silence in the graveyard...

* * *

Kakashi reappeared inside the apartment with several bags in his hand. He left his bags on the couch and carried the ones with the food over to the table. After placing them down, he walked towards the closest bedroom door.

The first one was empty, so he moved on to the next, which turned out to be the bathroom. Closing the bathroom door, he walked towards the next one. He knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer. He turned the door handle and opened the door. The first thing he noticed was the opened window. Quickly, he turned away and hurried towards the final door. Before he could knock, it opened. Gaara stood in the doorway, perfectly calm like always.

"Where is he?" he asked, trying to ignore the worry he felt.

"He left a while ago," Gaara answered steadily, "He'll be back."

"Did he mention where he was going?"

Gaara didn't answer straight away, increasing the tension he felt. Green eyes studied him intently, as if they were trying to read him. After what seemed like ages, he finally spoke. "Where do you think he'd go?"

The answer hit him like a ton of bricks, making his eyes narrow. "I see," he answered casually, "I've brought you something to eat. It's lying on the table. Help yourself."

He turned away and headed back to the couch to retrieve his belongings. Once he'd picked them up, he walked towards the first room he'd entered.

"You worry for him?" He stopped in his tracks, turning to face the red-head. Gaara stood leaning against his bedroom door, watching him.

He hesitated, not sure how to answer. He hadn't anticipated Gaara being able to see through his charade so quickly. He had to admit he was impressed. His visible eye crinkled in an eye-smile, "Of course I'd worry," he answered cheerfully, "I'm here to keep an eye on things, after all."

Gaara raised a non-existent brow at his answer, but didn't say anything.

"Don't forget to eat," Kakashi added before he entered his room, closing the door shut behind him…

* * *

"Why, sensei…?" Naruto muttered brokenly, "Why did you sacrifice your life to save mine?"

Bloodshot blue eyes stared at the gravestone, as if hoping to receive an answer of some sort. He didn't get one. Exhausted from his breakdown, he sank to the ground.

He felt numb, totally numb. After releasing all the pent-up emotion inside him, he couldn't feel anything, absolutely nothing. It was like a never-ending emptiness had decided to dwell inside him. He felt alone, more so than ever. With sensei gone, he had no one. Gaara would be around for a few days, but then he too would leave. What was he going to do then? Who was he going to turn to? Who could he trust?

The questions started to flood his brain, making him wince. It was only then he noticed the excruciating headache he had. Ignoring it, he closed his eyes. He lay there for some time, mulling over his thoughts.

Since the very beginning, sensei had always been there for him. He was the one who made decisions. He was the one who took care of him. He was the one who'd taught him everything about life, teaching him the difference between right and wrong. He was the sole reason behind who he was today.

Now that he was gone, what was he going to do? It was like he'd lost everything, even the ability to go on living. There was nothing for him in this wretched existence. There was nothing to keep him going.

Only a few days ago, he'd been stressing over what he'd done for sensei, which was absolutely nothing. He'd wanted to do something in return for the man who'd sacrificed everything for him. Never had he imagined that he wouldn't get the chance, that his desire would forever remain a desire.

He was a failure. A pathetic excuse for a living…

* * *

Kakashi turned his attention away from the book in his hand, looking outside the bedroom window. It'd been hours since Naruto had left and he still wasn't back.

He'd been trying to ignore the concern he felt for some time now, but it wouldn't go away. With a sigh, he placed the book down and got up.

After quickly changing back into his clothes, he slid open the window and leapt on to the nearest tree branch. Landing quietly on the ground, he began making his way towards the graveyard…

* * *

The wind had quickened its pace; no longer gentle like it'd been hours ago. It disturbed the peaceful silence in the graveyard, making the leaves flutter with renewed force. It paid no heed to the only living being visiting at this time, who sat in front of a grave, totally oblivious to what was going on around him.

"I'm sorry, sensei," Naruto whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you. I'm sorry I let you down…"

"I really don't think Minoru would appreciate such words coming from your mouth," a familiar voice interrupted him; "I sure wouldn't, if I was in his place."

He turned his head sharply to the left, only to see Kakashi standing there, looking down at him. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, unable to keep the coldness out of his voice. He stood up quickly, turning away.

"I came looking for you," Kakashi replied casually.

"You didn't have to," he answered bitterly.

"No, I didn't have to," Kakashi agreed, "But I wanted to."

He turned his head to face him, suspicious, "_Why?_" he wanted to know, "Did you think I was going to run away? Did you think I was going to go back on my word?"

Unfazed, Kakashi met his gaze head on, "Of course not," he replied, "What made you think that?"

He looked away, his eyes narrowing. "Never mind…"

An awkward silence followed, making him uncomfortable. He wished Kakashi would just go away, leaving him alone. Why did he come here in the first place? Why did he have to intrude?

"Minoru was a good man," Kakashi interrupted his thoughts, "I respect him for what he did."

Startled, he looked back at him, his blue eyes wide. "What did you say?"

Kakashi chuckled quietly, "Exactly what you heard," he turned to look at the grave, "I knew Minoru well enough to know he was a good man. My opinion of him never changed, not even when he took you from the village sixteen years ago."

He didn't know what to say to that, so he remained silent. All this time, he'd assumed the people of Konoha only considered Minoru-sensei a traitor, nothing more. It never occurred to him that there would be a few exceptions.

"They were very close, your father and him," Kakashi continued, his eyes still fixated on the gravestone, "Almost as if they were brothers. The day your father was officially declared Hokage; there was no one more happier than he was. When your parents decided to get married, he was over the moon. They were like a family; there was no limit to their love for one another. It was why he probably didn't hesitate when he took you from here. His love for his family was more important to him, even more than his duties."

It felt so strange to hear what sensei had been like when he was living in Konoha. He hardly ever mentioned anything about himself, always talking about what his parents had been like. Naruto had always assumed it was because he didn't like talking about himself. But now, he knew differently. Sensei's life had revolved around his family. For him, it'd been equivalent to talking about himself.

The thought made his eyes sting once more, making him turn away quickly.

"When you lose someone close to you, it may seem like it's all over but it isn't. Life still goes on. It may take some time to realise that, but it's true. As Shinobi, we risk our lives on a daily basis. Death is something we have to be prepared for." Kakashi turned to look at him, "Minoru chose to die for you. If you let that put you down, then it would've all been for nothing. Remember that."

With that said, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving him to ponder over his words…

* * *

A/N: I know its short but it's better than nothing at all! So, did you like it?

I didn't go too much into depth with Kakashi's small speech towards the end, considering his belief that he's a failure and still blames himself for what happened to Obito. It'd be a bit hypocritical of him to tell Naruto to not blame himself, when he doesn't follow the same advice. In a way, he's given Naruto something to think about, hoping it'd change his way of thinking.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to answer them.

Please take the time to review. Go on, it won't take too long! I'll be looking forward to reading them! ^_^


	16. Epiphany

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! You guys never fail to disappoint me! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki**

**Chapter 15 – Epiphany **

"_When you lose someone close to you, it may seem like it's all over but it isn't. Life still goes on. It may take some time to realise that, but it's true. As Shinobi, we risk our lives on a daily basis. Death is something we have to be prepared for. Minoru chose to die for you. If you let that put you down, then it would've all been for nothing. Remember that."_

The words repeated persistently in his head, slowly erasing the depression he felt. He looked up at the dark sky above. His gaze scrutinized the brightness of the stars, his blue eyes full of intensity. A newfound ray of hope had appeared deep inside him, erasing the doubt he'd felt earlier. He stood with renewed confidence, no sign of the weakened individual from before.

Kakashi's words had hit him hard, more than he'd ever admit out loud. They'd been influential enough to make him realise how stupid he was being. How could he allow himself to weaken to such an extent? How could he forget everything sensei had ever taught him? How could he even consider giving up?

Sixteen years of life had taught him a great deal. It'd helped him realise that no matter how dark the tunnel was there would always be light at the very end. The only thing he could do was keep going, boldly confronting whatever difficulty life tossed his way.

Sensei had always taught him to be strong. He'd shown him how to deal with most situations, even going as far as to explain that there would be times in life when one must learn to make their own decisions. That life was full of surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant. If one gave in to the problems of life, then there would be no hope for true happiness and peace. Those very words had kept him going, giving him the strength to deal with their problems.

For a long time now, he'd clung on to hope. He truly believed that one day all their problems would vanish, that he'd be able to give sensei the life he deserved. Having him taken away so suddenly had left him feeling completely broken. The pain had been too great, so great that he'd allowed it to consume him. For a brief moment, he'd forgotten everything. Sensei's words, the promises he'd made, everything.

Just like the others, this was another test life had decided to throw his way. It was another attempt to break him, to test his strength. The thought made his blue eyes blaze with determination, unlike ever seen before.

Kakashi's words had brought him back; reminding him once more of everything he'd learned and been taught. They made him realise that he couldn't fall weak, that he couldn't let sensei's sacrifice be in vain.

There was no way he was going to give up, not now, not ever. He'd continue to face any difficulty life threw at him, just like he'd been taught. He'd reach the light at the end of the tunnel, just like he'd always believed. He'd do it all for sensei and make him proud.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, distracting him from his thoughts. He looked down at the grave with teary eyes, a smile on his face.

"I'll do it for you, sensei. I'll make you proud, and _that's_ a promise."

A firm hand landed on his shoulder, making him whirl around instantly, only to see nothing. There was no sign of any presence, except his. Confused, he turned back to the grave, silently wondering if he'd imagined the whole thing…

* * *

After leaving Naruto to ponder over his words, Kakashi returned to the apartment. As much as he felt the urge to visit the monument, he couldn't. He had orders from the Hokage to follow. Gaara and Naruto had been entrusted to him. There was no way he was going to run from his responsibilities, especially one as important as this.

Leaning back against the railings on the roof, he sighed. The sight of those blue eyes looking so broken would forever be embedded in his memories. Just like the image of Obito's body underneath that boulder had for so many years. Even though he hadn't been able to do anything for his best friend, he'd been able to help Naruto, even if it was a little. At a time like this, he needed those words of support, to stop him from falling weak, to stop him from breaking down.

Minato-sensei had given him those very words of encouragement after Obito's death. They'd been enough to give him strength all those years back, to keep him going. He could only hope it worked for Naruto as well. Losing someone precious in such a way was enough to make anyone sink into the pits of depression. He knew that much from experience. The pain was so great; you never truly recovered from it. Even the most powerful of Shinobi crumbled under its burden, some even choosing to die than suffer through the ordeal.

The thought caused old memories to resurface, ones he'd kept buried deep inside him. Even now, just thinking about his father caused him pain. Though Obito had changed his way of thinking, he still couldn't forget what it was like to find his father's dead body.

The incident had changed him greatly. For a long time after that, he strictly followed every rule, right down to the very last one. He didn't reveal any emotions, only aiming to get to the very top, not letting anything get in his way. That only lasted until Obito had forced him to think differently. He made him realise there was more to life than following rules, that nothing was more important than the lives of your comrades.

In the end, it didn't matter. He wasn't able to save his friend. Nor could he keep the promise to always protect Rin. He wasn't able to save Minato-sensei either. He'd failed them all.

His shoulders suddenly sagged, as if the burdens of his failures were weighing down on them. Releasing another sigh, he headed back inside...

* * *

It was getting chilly, Naruto noted dimly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He still hadn't moved from where he stood in front of his sensei's grave. Even though there was no reason for him to linger around any longer, he didn't feel like leaving just yet. For a while now, he'd been letting his mind wander down memory lane, recalling all the special moments he'd shared with his sensei. The ones he cherished closely in his heart, the ones he'd never forget.

Closing his eyes, he remembered one of the most precious to him...

_"Sensei," he ran across the courtyard, his blue eyes sparkling with exhilaration. In his hand he held a single, green leaf, which had a tear running across it._

_Minoru-sensei looked up from the book he held in his hand, his eyes shifting towards the dishevelled, eight year old rushing towards him, the excitement evident on his face._

_Naruto came to a stop directly in front of him, a big grin on his face. He held up the slashed leaf in his hand. "I did it, sensei," he cried happily, "I finally did it!"_

_Minoru-sensei smiled, his warm, brown eyes lighting up. "I knew you could do it, Naruto," he stood up, "I'm so proud of you."_

_The grin on Naruto's face grew, like it always did when sensei complimented him. "What's the next step, sensei?" he exclaimed impatiently, "I can't wait to learn this new Jutsu."_

_Minoru let out a small chuckle, "Now, now, Naruto," he smiled, "What have I told you about being a little patient? There's no need to rush. Maybe you should rest for a little while. You've been training non-stop lately."_

_Naruto pouted, clearly disappointed, "But I really want to learn this new Jutsu, sensei! I want to be as strong as you! Please show me what I need to do next. Please..."_

_Minoru-sensei was unable to hold back his laughter, much to Naruto's delight. He really liked it when sensei laughed, especially when he smiled._

_"You should smile more often, sensei," he couldn't help but voice out loud, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It really makes me happy!"_

_Noticing his awkwardness, Minoru smiled, moving his hand forward to ruffle his head affectionately. "I'd do anything to make you happy, Naruto," he muttered softly, "You should know that by now..."_

A sad smile appeared on his face, the image of sensei laughing still very much fresh in his mind. Even though it'd happened many years ago, he could still recall everything about that particular day. It was one of the many days he'd achieved something, moving closer to his goal of becoming stronger than his sensei. Seeing the proud look on sensei's face every time he accomplished something helped him succeed. It was the reason why he pushed himself to his very limits.

"Thank you, sensei," he looked down at the grave, "Thank you for everything you've done for me…"

* * *

Kakashi closed his book shut after finishing it. Placing it down, he stretched his arms, hearing the usual sounds of his joints clicking. His tired eye shifted towards the window, seeing the first rays of sunlight in the sky. It was morning already.

Naruto still hadn't returned, he noted quietly. Standing up, he walked towards the window and peered outside. The streets were empty; there was no sign of him anywhere. With a sigh, he turned away. It looked like he was going to have to go check up on him again.

As he moved to grab a towel, he heard a knock on his window. Turning back around, he spotted Jiraiya standing outside on the balcony. He walked towards the window and opened it.

"Isn't it a little early for visits?" he muttered dryly.

Jiraiya turned to face him, his mouth turned up in a smirk. "Of course not!" he answered brightly, "There's no time like the present, like they say."

Kakashi resisted the urge to sigh out loud, guessing there was a reason behind the early visit. "So," he began, leaning against the window, "why are you here?"

Jiraiya snorted out loud, "Always to the point, aren't you," he muttered before his expression turned serious. "How is he?"

There was no need to ask who he was talking about, for there could only be one person he was referring to. "Honestly, I don't know," Kakashi answered, "He's still at the graveyard."

Jiraiya nodded, looking thoughtful. "I had a feeling he'd still be there," he said, "What about Gaara?"

"He's in his room," Kakashi replied.

"He didn't try to leave?" Jiraiya turned to face him, the surprise clear in his eyes.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, and from what I've seen so far, I doubt he's going to," he answered in a serious tone, "He genuinely seems to care about Naruto. If he didn't, he wouldn't have come here in the first place."

"You could be right," Jiraiya mentioned after a few minutes of silence, "He took a big risk coming here. Makes me wonder what caused such a big change. It's not like him, at all."

Kakashi couldn't deny he wasn't curious about the whole thing. From what they'd heard about the One-Tail Jinchuriki, he was known to be cold and ruthless. The one they'd come across was nothing like the rumours. It was strange. What could've happened to make him change? There was no way Naruto could be responsible, considering they'd only just met. Or could he..? Was their friendship the reason behind Gaara's sudden change? It was possible...

"I'm going to go check on Naruto," Jiraiya told him, "You can keep an eye on things here. Tsunade wants to speak to both of them later, so don't be late when she summons you."

Kakashi nodded. Jiraiya formed a quick hand sign and disappeared. Turning away, Kakashi closed the window shut. Grabbing his towel and some clean clothes, he left the room...

* * *

_Naruto fell to the ground, his body completely exhausted. Panting, he turned his head towards Minoru-sensei, who stood less than a metre away from him, his brown eyes looking concerned. _

_"Are you okay, Naruto?" he asked worriedly. _

_"Yeah," he muttered, sitting up. His hand moved forward to reach for the piece of paper which had dropped to the ground beside him. _

_"That was a close call," Minoru-sensei stated, taking the slip of paper away from him. "You lost control, again."_

_He nodded, his eyes lingering on the handwritten seal on the paper. Looking away from it, his gaze landed on the older man before him. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked quietly. _

_"No," Minoru-sensei assured him, "you didn't."_

_He breathed a sigh of relief, muttering a quick prayer of thanks. With some effort, he stood up, looking around him. The damage had been little this time, he noted. _

_They were standing in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by nothing but trees. All around them, there were small-sized craters in the ground. _

_"You need to work on your self-control, Naruto," Minoru-sensei told him, "Relying on the Kyuubi's power isn't always the answer. You need to believe in your own capabilities."_

_"I'm sorry, sensei," he apologised, hanging his head in shame. He knew sensei was right. Yet, he hadn't been able to stop himself. It'd been too much this time._

_The training had been going so well, until he fell under sensei's Genjutsu. Seeing the horrors shown to him caused him to lose control. In a desperate attempt to escape it, he'd unleashed the power of the Kyuubi; the very one sensei had forbid him from using._

_Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see sensei looking down at him._

_"It's okay, Naruto," Minoru-sensei smiled, "Don't worry about it."_

_"Why did you show me that, sensei?" Naruto questioned him, "Of all the things you could use to get me worked up, why __that__?"_

_"Why not...?" Minoru-sensei replied casually._

_Seeing the unfazed look on sensei face angered him. He turned away quickly, resisting the urge to yell. "That wasn't fair, sensei," he muttered angrily._

_Minoru-sensei sighed. "Naruto," he sounded serious, "You know very well that nothing in life is fair, especially in our world. You need to always be prepared to deal with the worse of situations. This was just a small test I gave you, next time it could be the real thing. The enemy isn't going to go easy on you, especially if their speciality is Genjutsu. Never forget that."_

"_But, sensei," Blue eyes brimming with emotion met his, "I don't think I could ever deal with seeing you die in front of me like that. I wouldn't be able to control myself..."_

"Naruto..?"

Startled, he sat up immediately, waking up from the dream he was having. Looking up, he came face to face with Jiraiya-sama.

"Looks like you fell asleep," the older man smiled, "Come on; let's get you to a bed."

He stood up slowly, only then noticing it was already morning. When had he fallen asleep? It couldn't have been for long, considering how tired he still felt. But then again, his body had gone days without proper sleep and rest. It was going to take more than an hour of sleep to get back to his normal, energetic self.

Stifling back a yawn, his tired eyes turned back to the gravestone he'd fallen asleep next to. After one last, lingering look, he turned away.

"You didn't have to come here to check up on me," he said to Jiraiya-sama, moving away from the grave. They fell into step together, heading towards the graveyard gates.

"You had me worried, kid," Jiraiya-sama revealed.

The answer surprised him, but then again, so had a lot of things lately. "I'm fine," he muttered softly.

Feeling eyes on him, he turned his head to meet the older man's gaze. After what seemed like ages, Jiraiya-sama finally looked away, a smile appearing on his face.

They walked in silence after that, each lost in their own thoughts. Taking advantage of the lack of conversation, his thoughts drifted to the dream he had. Well, to be more precise, it was more than just a dream. It was an old memory from six years ago, when he'd been only ten years of age.

Considering what'd happened, it wasn't a memory he was incredibly fond of.

Like several times before, he'd lost control that day. He'd given into the Kyuubi's power. It wasn't something he was proud of, not after the day he'd attacked sensei, giving him the huge scar on his chest. Ever since then, he'd promised to never use it again. Sometimes though, during training, it got the better of him. That was when the seal came in handy. It disrupted the Kyuubi's Chakra instantly, returning him back to his normal self. Sensei had made the seal, surprising him at the time. He'd no idea he had any knowledge of Fuinjutsu. It was only much later he discovered who he'd learnt it from.

Every time he thought about that memory, he was haunted by what he saw. Sensei's Genjutsu had left him completely stunned, so much that he'd lost the ability to even think properly. All his training was forgotten in that one instant. His emotions had taken over, allowing the Kyuubi inside him to seize control. Seeing sensei dying before him had caused him to snap. He could only think about getting rid of the image in front of him.

That was the very first time sensei had used such a manipulating Genjutsu on him. The others had been easy enough to get out of, but this was something else. After hearing sensei's words, he realised he still was a long way from achieving his goal. He needed to get better control over his emotions.

After that, he worked twice as hard, pushing himself to his very limits. It took him another two, long years before he finally attained his goal. Before he'd finally surpassed his sensei…

"Tsunade wants to speak to both of you later," Jiraiya-sama interrupted his thoughts, "There are many things you need to know, which will affect both you and Gaara."

"Does this have something to do with the guys who came after Gaara?" he asked.

Jiraiya-sama nodded, a serious look appearing on his face. "Unfortunately, it does," he answered, "Tsunade will explain later. In the meantime, I think you should get some sleep. Have you eaten anything yet?"

At the mention of food, his stomach growled weakly. "Uh," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I guess I haven't..."

The older man guffawed out loud. "Well, we better get some food inside you," his eyes suddenly lit up conspicuously, "Don't want you passing out from starvation now, do we?"

Alarmed by the look in the older man's eyes, Naruto swallowed nervously. "Actually, I think I'll pass," he muttered, "I'm not really hungry anymore…"

"_Nonsense_," Jiraiya-sama interrupted him, "I don't want to hear any excuses. There's this really great place I want to take you to. I know you're going to love it! Hurry up now, it should be opening soon."

With a sigh, Naruto allowed himself to be led away; somehow sensing he was going to regret this…

* * *

Half an hour later, an almost broke Naruto walked away from Ichiraku's Ramen, his beloved 'Gamachan' nearly empty. In his hand, he held two bags with his take-out.

Jiraiya-sama walked beside him, patting his stomach contently. "Now _that _was delicious," he exclaimed brightly. Naruto gave him a sour look, silently wondering if the older man had planned this from the beginning.

When they'd arrived at Ichiraku's Ramen, Jiraiya-sama had announced that his father and Minoru sensei used to love eating here. In-between telling him stories of the past, he too announced he was hungry. Not thinking much of it, Naruto had shrugged it off.

Listening intently to his words, he'd failed to notice the number of bowls piling up. It was only when the old man working behind the counter handed him the bill, did he return to the present. Picking it up, he almost fell from his seat. "What the…?"

He'd ordered only six miso ramen on the go, so where the hell had the other four come from, as well as the eight rounds of sake? Narrowing his eyes, he'd turned to face the older man sitting beside him, who was knocking back the last of his sake.

"Hey, old man?" he tapped his shoulder in order to gain his attention, "Why is _your_ order on _my_ bill?"

Jiraiya-sama turned to face him, a huge grin on his face. "Well, you see, Naruto," his words slurring slightly, "I just realised I haven't got any money with me. So, do this old man a favour and pay this time around. I'll pay you back later…"

Muttering curses under his breath, he'd given in. Though he'd come close to changing his mind, when the older man had burst out laughing after seeing his treasured frog purse, which had been a gift from one of the monks upon his departure from the Fire Temple many years ago. Only after he'd apologised, did Naruto pay for his order.

Walking back towards the apartment, he ignored the drunken babbling coming from Jiraiya-sama, letting his mind wander back to the last time he'd ate ramen. The delicious aroma coming from the bag had stirred up pleasant memories. Though it'd been a couple of weeks since he last tasted ramen, the taste was still very much fresh in his mind.

"_Oi_, Naruto?" Jiraiya-sama said out loud, "Have you been listening to a word I've been saying?"

Sighing inwardly, he turned to face the older man. "No, I haven't."

A chuckle was heard, preventing Jiraiya-sama from answering. They turned to find Kakashi standing about a metre away from them, leaning against a street lamp. Like before, he had his book opened in one hand. "I was wondering what was taking you two so long," he said, "Looks like you had breakfast without us."

"That's right," Jiraiya-sama smirked, "I thought it'd nice to take Naruto for some ramen."

"Yeah, and con me into paying for it as well," Naruto mumbled to himself.

"Hmm," Kakashi looked right at him, "What was that?"

Jiraiya-sama let out another loud bark of laughter, "Oh, nothing," he quickly spoke up, "Naruto here has quite the sense of humour."

"Is that so?" Kakashi looked thoughtful, "Interesting…"

"Well, would you look at the time," Jiraiya-sama suddenly looked like he was in a hurry to get away, "I just remembered something I needed to do. I'll see you guys later."

With that said, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving the two of them behind…

* * *

Kakashi observed the boy inconspicuously as they walked the last two blocks back to the apartment. So far, he hadn't said anything, keeping to himself. Judging from his body language, he appeared more relaxed than he did yesterday. He wasn't sure what to make of it. He knew appearances could be deceiving, hiding what a person truly felt on the inside. No one knew that better than he did. Yet, a particular thought was bothering him. One he was curious to know the answer to.

Had his words helped, at all?

He felt the urge to ask, but hesitated. There was no sense of awkwardness between them, not even when he'd first appeared before them. On the sly, he'd been watching the boy's reaction carefully. Surprisingly, he hadn't so much as flinched. Whether that was a good thing or a bad, he'd no idea. It was difficult to judge so much when he wore that mask over his head. Again, he felt the urge to see what lay beneath that mask, like he'd done several times now. It was kind of frustrating, if he was honest.

They arrived at the apartment, much to his disappointment. He was expecting Naruto to say something, but he hadn't done so. After opening the front door, he walked in. Instead of heading straight for his room, he settled down on the couch. Naruto, he noticed, placed a bag on the table before walking towards his own room.

He turned his attention back to his book, making himself comfortable. However, before he'd read even five words, a soft voice interrupted him.

"I brought ramen for you and Gaara."

He looked up to see Naruto standing before his bedroom door, a hand gripping the door handle. Sensing he wanted to say something else, Kakashi waited.

After only a few seconds, he heard a quiet "Thank you."

Pushing open the door, Naruto disappeared from view, closing the door behind him. Underneath his mask, a smile appeared on Kakashi's face…

* * *

Naruto closed the door behind him, leaning against it. Those two words had been difficult for him to say, especially after last night. Even though Kakashi's advice had been essential, they were still pretty much strangers. Knowing that he'd seen him when he was at his most vulnerable, made him feel more than a little awkward, though he hadn't shown it.

If he was honest, he'd been expecting the Copy Ninja to bring up what'd happened last night, but he hadn't. For that he was glad; it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. The least he could do was thank him for what he'd done. Even though it wasn't much, those two words expressed pretty much everything he wanted to say.

Moving away from the door, he settled down on the bed. Opening the bag, he pulled out the two containers with ramen in them. The familiar twinge of excitement appeared as he opened the lid of the first one. Inhaling the smell made his mouth water. Lifting his mask, he grabbed hold of the chopsticks before tucking in eagerly...

* * *

A/N: I know it's short, but it's all I had time to write. The next update will be up by the end of next week, hopefully. I'll promise to make it longer than this one.

Like I always say, please review! I want to know what you guys think of this story, so far. It'd really make my day, so please…

Just in case you guys didn't get what happened in the graveyard, I'll explain. The firm hand which landed on Naruto's shoulder was in fact Minoru's soul. Seeing that Naruto hadn't fallen weak, allowed him to move on with ease. The hand on the shoulder was a final reassurance. I got the idea from the episode where Jiraiya dies, and his soul drifts towards Naruto before he departs towards the afterlife. I think it was a nice touch, hope you guys agree!

See you in the next update! ^_^


	17. A New Sensei

A/N: Hey! Apologies for not updating sooner… I hope you all had a great Christmas and have something great planned for New Year's. Can't believe another year has passed already. Where is the time going?

Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. I'm happy to announce that this story has appeared in ten, different communities. There's nothing more an author could ask for! Thank you so much! :D

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 16 – A New Sensei**

"Wake up, kid!"

Naruto lifted his head from the pillow, groggily staring at the small dog sitting on top of him, silently wondering if he was hearing things. Did the small mutt just tell him to get up? Deciding he was imagining things, he turned away to go back to sleep.

"Are you deaf or something?" he heard the same gruff voice again.

He turned back to face the dog, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Jeez…" the dog muttered with a sigh, "Kakashi forgot to mention that you were slow and stupid."

"A talking dog…" Naruto said out loud, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, kid!" the dog rolled his eyes before leaping onto the floor, "Now get the hell up already."

"I'm up, I'm up," Naruto muttered in annoyance, getting up.

"That's more like it," the dog answered before he disappeared out of the room.

Naruto glared at the door, cursing the rude mutt silently. He turned to look outside the window, noticing the darkening sky. It was evening already, he noted, standing up. Pulling out a scroll from inside his jacket, he released it with his Chakra. A small bag appeared.

He picked it up, heading out of the room. Surprisingly, no one was about. They were in their rooms. Relieved, he walked towards the bathroom and pushed open the door. Switching on the light, he locked the door behind him. The first thing he did was pull off his mask, glancing wearily into the mirror. He ran a hand through his blonde locks, mentally noting he needed to get them cut. They were growing long again. He began to strip, looking forward to having a much-needed shower.

As he showered, he let his thoughts run loose. Last night had been a difficult night for him. His breakdown, Kakashi's words of wisdom, the realisation that his life was taking a new road… One he'd no idea where it'd lead him.

He'd already decided to stay here in Konoha, but what he was going to do here exactly, he didn't know…

* * *

"Seriously, boss," Pakkun turned to face the silver-haired ninja, "the boy is a complete idiot. He was staring at me like he'd never come across a talking dog before."

Kakashi chuckled, placing his beloved Icha Icha back into his pouch. "It's possible he hasn't, Pakkun," he answered dryly, "Did you even consider that?"

"You could be right, boss," Pakkun followed him towards the door; "It's not every day you come across a Summon like me."

"Hmm," Kakashi replied, walking out of his temporary bedroom. There was no one about. Naruto, it seemed, was in the bathroom, while Gaara was still in his room. Deciding to inform the red-head about the up-coming meeting with the Hokage, he headed towards his bedroom door.

The door opened seconds after he'd knocked. Gaara stood in the doorway, waiting.

"The Hokage wants to see you both in ten minutes," he informed him, "Be ready in five."

Gaara nodded, not bothering to answer and closed the door.

With a sigh, Kakashi turned away. Gaara, he'd quickly worked out, was not the socialising type. He preferred to be alone, even if it meant staying in his room all day. With Naruto resting, the day had been pretty uneventful. Babysitting two Jinchurikis wasn't as exciting as it sounded, he mused. On the other hand, it wasn't like he was complaining though. He'd gotten a fair bit of Icha Icha reading done.

Settling down on the couch, he waited for Naruto to emerge from the bathroom. As he waited, his thoughts drifted to last night and early this morning. Judging from the 'thank you' he received from Naruto, it seemed his advice hadn't fallen on deaf ears. What he was curious to see now was this – what exactly was Naruto going to do now? Without a doubt, the Hokage had something planned for him. Though what that was, even he had no idea.

Hearing the bathroom door open, he looked up. A freshly-showered Naruto appeared, once again wearing a mask. Ignoring his disappointment, Kakashi stood up.

"Hokage-sama wants to see you and Gaara," he informed him, "We should leave now."

"Okay," Naruto answered with a nod, "Just give me a minute."

He nodded, watching him head towards his room. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he waited. Pakkun, who'd been silent all this time, observed them quietly.

"You can head back now, Pakkun," he told him, wondering why he was still around.

"I think I might just linger for a bit."

Gaara chose that moment to appear, dressed in his usual dark clothing. He looked towards Naruto's room, his gaze assessing. When Naruto reappeared, they exchanged glances but didn't say anything.

They left together. Kakashi and Pakkun led the way, whilst Gaara and Naruto brought up the rear. Once they'd arrived at the Hokage Tower, Pakkun chose that moment to make an exit. A short while after that, they stood before the Hokage.

"It's time you know the full extent of what's going on," she said, her expression grim.

Kakashi narrowed his visible eye slightly. Something had happened. He was sure of it. Even Jiraiya seemed troubled.

"The group of ninja who we mentioned earlier, the ones after Gaara, they are called the Akatsuki," Tsunade-sama continued, "What I didn't mention was this – they are after _you_ as well, Naruto."

"They're after me?" Naruto repeated, confused, "But why?"

"The Akatsuki are targeting the nine Jinchurikis," Jiraiya explained, "We don't know what their motive is, but whatever it is, it can't be good.

Their group is formed of S - Rank missing-nin. We know the identities of the ones who were killed, but the others remain a secret. Gaara has been their target for a while now. He's managed to avoid being found only because he's been on the run for the past three years. It was unlucky that Hidan and Kakuzu caught up with him that night. Even though you two managed to defeat them, I'm worried the others have learned who you are."

"The Kyuubi's Chakra," Kakashi said out loud, recalling what'd happened that day.

"Exactly," the Hokage nodded at him before shifting her gaze towards Naruto, "Minoru's death made you lose control. You tapped into the Kyuubi's Chakra. It's possible the Akatsuki have learned about what happened, which means they know _who_ you are..."

"Even if they did," Naruto interrupted her, "I doubt they know where I am. Konoha would be the last place they look."

"True," she agreed, "We're hoping they're still looking for you. Konoha would definitely be the last place they look."

"Do they know who I am?" Naruto asked, "As in my true identity and where I'm from originally?"

"We're not sure," Jiraiya answered with a frown. "It's possible they do, but we can't be certain. Very few people know about Minato sealing the Nine-Tails inside you. It was kept a secret for so many years. No one spoke of it, not even the Third Hokage."

"Gaara," Tsunade-sama turned her attention to the red-head, "Did you know the Akatsuki were after you?"

The rest of them turned to glance at him too, waiting eagerly to hear his answer.

"I didn't in the beginning," he answered, "It was that day when I nearly ran into them did I learn they were searching for me. I overheard them talking, the Blondie and his partner."

"Did they mention any names or any useful information?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "They were arguing amongst each other. I didn't stick around to hear any of it."

She nodded, accepting his answer.

"So, what happens now?" Naruto questioned her after a moment of silence. "What am I suppose to do here?"

Kakashi turned to face Tsunade-sama, curious about the answer too. What exactly did Tsunade-sama have planned for Naruto? No doubt she'd want to know more about Naruto skills and level of fighting. It was highly possible that she'd arrange for some kind of teacher for him, who'd test his abilities.

"Since you'll be living here from now on," she began, "you'll officially become a part of Konoha. As a Shinobi, you'll have to swear complete allegiance to your Hokage, as well as Konoha. Are you willing to do that?"

His gaze shifted towards Naruto. Judging from the way his body had stiffened, he hadn't been expecting such a question.

"I know this may come as a surprise, but it's necessary for me to know what you've decided," Tsunade-sama explained.

"I'm not sure what I want to do at this point…" Naruto hesitated, "I need time to think this over."

Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya exchanged glances. They didn't seem too surprised by his answer. "That's fine," she answered eventually. "We were expecting you to say that. I know you have trust issues at the moment, and it's completely understandable. This is why I decided on a different approach," she smiled, "I have asked Jiraiya here to be your sensei…"

"Sensei…?"

"That's right," the smile on Tsunade-sama's face grew. "He will be training you, and at the same time, seeing firsthand what you're capable of. During this, I hope, we'll be able to gain your trust. We want what's best for you, Naruto."

Kakashi could see why Tsunade-sama would pick Jiraiya to be the one to train Naruto. Since they already knew one another, there was no reason for Naruto to refuse. This was definitely a good approach.

"Okay," Naruto agreed after some time. "When do we start?"

"Not yet," Jiraiya smiled. "You should rest for a few days. I'll let you know when we begin…"

* * *

A/N: I know it's incredibly short, but this is all I have time to write at the moment. I promise the next chapter will be the longest yet. I should update by next week, hopefully. Please bear with me.

Looking forward to reading your reviews! ^_^


	18. Experiencing the Light

A/N: I am so, _so _sorry for the incredibly late update. This chapter should've been posted long ago. You can blame the lack of time, and the unexpected writer's block for the delay, even though it was slight. I wasn't too sure how to go about with writing this chapter, but astonishingly, it came out okay. I think I'm satisfied with the end results.

Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter, and added this story to their favourites. I suppose the reason I didn't get many was because of how short it was. This chapter may seem short, but I planned for it to finish where it does. I hope you like it!

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 17 – Experiencing the Light**

Troubled, blue eyes gazed intently into the night sky, totally oblivious to what they were seeing. For they were too busy reminiscing about a time not so long ago, which now seemed like a totally different lifetime altogether.

So much had changed, and so quickly…

He sighed, forcing himself to return to the present. It'd been several hours now since the meeting with the Hokage. After they'd been excused, they headed back to the apartment, each of them lost in their own thoughts. He'd made a quick escape through his bedroom window, landing soundlessly on top of the roof. And here he lay, on his back, looking up into the night sky ever since.

There were many questions running through his mind, none for which he had the answers to. The meeting earlier had only given life to more speculating, which was the last thing he'd needed. It was frustrating, if he was honest. No matter how much he thought about everything, he couldn't come to a decision about anything.

He slammed his fist against the surface of the roof, unaware of the cracks which appeared. There was just too much to think about…

"Naruto..."

Startled from his thoughts, he sat up quickly. Looking towards the right, his eyes landed on Gaara.

"Hey," he greeted him, letting his body relax.

The red-head nodded, his eyes shifting towards the night sky.

"How come you're still awake?" Naruto asked him.

"I don't sleep."

He looked surprised. "What do you mean you don't sleep? How is that even possible?"

"I can't sleep," Gaara revealed calmly, "If I did, Shukaku would take over my body."

Naruto frowned, unable to think of a response. It explained why Gaara had such dark circles around his eyes. To think he'd gone so long without sleep... How hard it must've been to deal with such a problem, as well as everything else.

"You're a really strong person, Gaara."

"Am I really?"

Hearing the emptiness in his tone, Naruto turned around to face him. He examined the eyes which stared back at him, finding them just as empty.

"Yes," his tone was firm, "You are."

His words seemed to have some kind of effect, judging from the look on Gaara's face.

"It never really occurred to me…" Gaara looked away, gazing up at the night sky. "…since most of my life was spent questioning my very existence." His tone seemed distant, as if he was recalling memories he'd long since buried. "My father sealed the One-Tail inside me when I was yet to come into this world. He wanted to use the powers of Shukaku as a weapon, for the village's benefits. However, after giving birth to me, my mother passed away.

I grew up alone. The villagers were too afraid of what I was when they saw what I was capable of. They all hated me, avoiding me like I was some kind of monster. It eventually got to the point where it all became too much. Concluding that I was another failed experiment, after my failure to control the demon, my father repeatedly tried to kill me. He ordered my uncle, the only person who I thought cared about me, to get rid of me. His last words changed me though... They led me to believe that I could only rely on myself and the beast inside me.

I became the monster they feared. I killed anyone who threatened me, in order to preserve the value of my existence. The blood thirst became a part of me. It drove me to kill. But then, after a while, things changed…" He paused, his hands forming fists. "The hate-filled looks became too much. I began noticing them again, letting them affect me. It filled me with rage… In the end, I decided to leave, to escape from it all. If I hadn't…I would've…"

He stopped, feeling firm hands on his shoulders. Green eyes met blue, confusion and surprise evident in them.

"It's okay," Naruto spoke softly, his eyes brimming with emotion. "That's all in the past now. You don't have to think about any of it anymore."

Gaara froze, taken aback by his words.

"Even though I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must've felt like, I know it couldn't have been easy." He stopped, taking a deep breath. "There's nothing I can really say to take away all your pain, Gaara. If I could, I would. Every little bit of it…"

"_Why_…?" Gaara muttered in awe. "Why would you do such a thing for me?"

"Because you're my friend…"

Gaara stared back at him in shock, the tension leaving his body.

"I know this may seem a little hard to believe, since we only just met, but..." He paused, struggling to find the right words. "...I don't know how to explain it, really. From the moment I met you, I felt a connection. I can't help but wonder if, maybe, it has anything to do with us being _jinchuriki_."

He uttered the last word with undisguised aversion, revealing what he truly felt about the whole thing. It was the very reason for all their suffering, after all. No matter how much they tried to run from it, they couldn't. It was a part of them they couldn't erase, no matter how much they tried.

"It would make sense, I guess," Naruto added, not waiting for any kind of response. Judging from the lack of surprise on Gaara's face, it would seem his friend had considered the same thing at some point.

Deciding to give him some space, he settled down next to him, leaning against the railings.

Minutes ticked by as they settled into a comfortable silence. Neither spoke, both preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Naruto found himself thinking about what Gaara had told him. His tale had struck him deeply, again making him feel guilty. It wasn't fair... Why was it that he'd been saved from all the torture and pain, whilst Gaara had to suffer through it all? To think that Gaara's _own_ father had been the one responsible. What kind of father would put his son through such pain, he wondered angrily. Didn't he even consider what his son would go through? How it'd affect him?

Even though his own father had sealed the Kyuubi inside him, his reasons had been justified. As the Hokage, his duty to his people had come first. He'd done it to save all the many lives which would've been killed for sure that night. Gaara's father's reasons, on the other hand, had been purely selfish. He'd turned away from his son when he'd needed him the most, forcing him to become cold and ruthless.

It made him wonder what kind of person he'd have become if Minoru-sensei hadn't taken him away from Konoha. Would he have become another Gaara?

"Naruto…"

Thankful for the distraction, he snapped out of his thoughts, turning his head to look at Gaara.

"Hmm…?"

"What made you change your mind about getting revenge?"

"Huh…?"

The question had caught him off guard. Surprise was evident in his eyes when Gaara turned to face him.

"I said, what made you change your mind about getting revenge?"

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully, his tone now serious.

The red-head didn't answer right away, choosing to examine him quietly.

"It must've occurred to you at some point," Gaara's gaze never left him, watching him intently. "How did you overcome the feeling?"

Even though he hadn't explained what he meant properly, he knew Gaara knew that he knew exactly what he was being asked.

"It did," he found himself answering, "Not once, but many times."

"Sensei hid the truth from me for many years," he continued, looking away. A faraway look appeared in his eyes as he gazed up at the night sky. "I knew nothing about Konoha, or who my father really was. When I finally learnt the truth, it…shook me up really badly…" He stopped, taking a deep breath. "It took a while for everything to sink in. When it did, it hurt, a lot. I felt like my whole world had been turned upside down. It all seemed so unfair. After everything my father had done for Konoha, they didn't even hesitate to consider getting rid of me. It was because of that sensei had to take me from here, leaving everything behind. It was because of them we had to live a life constantly on the run, from one place to another, always looking over our shoulders. The more I thought about it, the more it made my blood boil. It filled me with rage and hatred. Getting revenge was always on my mind. I wanted to cause them the pain they gave us. I wanted to do so much, but…I couldn't…"

He sighed. "Even though I felt the need to get revenge, I knew I'd never go ahead with it... Sensei's teachings held greater importance for me. Ever since I can remember, he'd always taught me to follow the right path, no matter how difficult it was. Following the path of vengeance would've been an insult to his teachings.

Witnessing the destruction of vengeance firsthand also made me think otherwise. You see a lot of that in our world, especially when you travel a lot. It causes nothing but pain. There's no satisfaction in it.

It was all of that, and the vow I made many years back, which changed my mind. I promised myself that I'd always tread the right path, no matter how difficult it was. And once I've made a promise, I never break it... Even at the cost of my life..."

After uttering those last words, he turned back to look at Gaara. He was expecting to see the look of surprise in those green eyes, but instead he was taken aback by the conflict in them.

"How can that be enough to make you think otherwise?" Gaara questioned him, his voice strained.

"It can," he answered easily. "If you let the hatred go, for even a second, it feels so much lighter. Why don't you try it?"

"I…I can't," Gaara frowned, "I don't know how to."

Naruto smiled underneath his mask, holding out a hand. "I can help you, if you want me to?"

Gaara hesitated, eyeing the hand tentatively.

It was then he made the decision to do what he did next. Making quick, unreadable hand signs, he cast a Genjutsu, preventing any onlookers, if there were any, from seeing what he was about to do.

"It's okay, Gaara," he assured him, taking off his mask. "I know it isn't easy to let it go, but when you have someone with you, it's so much easier. Trust me…"

Shocked, green eyes stared at him, taking in his face.

He smiled, and waited.

After only a few minutes, Gaara raised his hand and placed it in his. He grinned, unable to hold back a delighted laugh. He quickly pulled him forward and hugged him.

Startled, Gaara let out a gasp, standing motionless.

"Relax…" Naruto told him softly.

It took another few minutes before Gaara did just that, much to his joy. He pulled back, a bright smile on his face.

"You're my friend, Gaara," he said, "I'll never leave you alone, and _that's_ a promise…"

* * *

Naruto's words repeated again and again inside his head. Could this really be happening, Gaara wondered dazedly.

His heart was thumping loudly inside his chest. The warmth inside him had increased, until it threatened to consume him. He found himself welcoming it, not in the least bit intimidated by it.

It slowly began to cloud his mind, as well as the black hole in his chest. The darkness which had lingered inside him for so long began to disappear. He could feel it. Before he even knew it, he felt so much lighter. Something he'd never even dreamed of experiencing.

Was this what Naruto had meant about feeling lighter? Had the hatred inside him really left?

For the first time in his life, he truly wanted it to be true. Carrying all the hate inside him was a very big struggle, especially with the demon Shukaku inside him, threatening to take over his body and soul at the slightest opportunity. Knowing it took the slightest hint of hatred directed at him to make him lose control was nerve wracking. Maybe now he could finally have some peace.

_Peace…_

The word seemed so foreign, as if it was from a different language altogether. A language far out of his reach… Something he'd never understand, no matter how much he tried.

Now that he was getting a small taste of that word, even if it was a teeny little bit, it changed everything for him. He longed for more. The feeling was so…_pleasant_.

"Do you feel it, Gaara?" Naruto's voice broke into his thoughts. "That warm feeling?"

He nodded distractedly.

"That feeling is the key," Naruto explained gently. "You need to accept it, and let it work its magic. Don't think about any of the bad stuff. Just let all of that go."

It was only a few minutes later when he reopened his eyes, not recalling when he'd shut them. He looked around him, his gaze immediately landing on Naruto, who was standing in front of him. His face was still bare, Gaara noticed.

Naruto suddenly leaned forward, causing his body to still. He observed the blue eyes as they stared into his own, as if they were searching for something. When he finally pulled back, he was grinning.

"I think you did it, Gaara," Naruto muttered in awe. "You don't have that look in your eyes anymore."

"What look?" he couldn't help but ask.

"That look of complete emptiness," Naruto answered with a smile. "It's gone…"

* * *

Kakashi placed the book down, giving up on it being able to divert his attention. It was definitely a first, in a long while, that Icha Icha had failed in distracting him.

Usually he'd be grasping every opportunity to read the contents, but today, he just didn't feel like it. Maybe it had something to do with whatever it was that Lady Tsunade still hadn't told him. Or maybe he was worrying unnecessarily. It obviously couldn't be that important, otherwise she would've told him by now.

Dismissing the thought, he stood up, casting a look at the ceiling.

Naruto was still up there, he noted.

The kid had been up there since the moment they'd returned from meeting the Hokage. Deciding he probably needed some time to think, he'd left him alone. Gaara, on the other hand, had stayed in his room.

And he was just leaving, Kakashi realised, following the movement of the red-head as he made his way towards the roof.

Unable to contain his curiosity, he decided it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of eavesdropping. It wasn't like he had anything else to do. Who knew, maybe this way he'd be able to learn more about the two he was babysitting…

* * *

An hour or so later, he still hadn't moved from where he stood, hidden from being detected. Even though the conversation up above had long since finished, leaving hadn't even occurred to him.

His mind repeated everything he'd heard continuously, letting it sink in. When it had, he didn't know what to make of it all. For once in his life, Kakashi Hatake had nothing to say.

Silently, and with trained movements, he made his way back to his room…

* * *

A/N: So, what did you think? I know it's short, but it can't be helped. I've already started writing chapter 18, so you won't have to wait too long.

This chapter was necessary for Gaara and Naruto's friendship to progress. It was even more important for Gaara, since he needed something to help him with his big change. I hope you agree that this was enough to make it happen. I seriously couldn't think of a better way to do it.

Please review and share your thoughts. Come on, I really could use the feedback… See you in the next chapter! ^_^


	19. Parting

A/N: I'm actually surprised I managed to get this done, even though it took me more than a month to do it. Oh well, it took less time than it did for the previous two chapters so it makes a big change…

I can't believe this story has hit 200 reviews, with over 200 followers! WOW!

I never expected this story to get so much attention, and I really am grateful to all of you who have read it, especially to those who have taken the time to leave me a review. It's the feedback that pushes me to write more, so please keep it coming!

Also, more importantly, this story will eventually get to the point where we will see a change in Kakashi and Naruto's relationship. I still haven't decided how to go about this, so I'm giving you guys the chance to vote! The current rating of this story is T, but that can change depending on what you prefer. I have set up a blind poll on my profile, if you haven't noticed already, giving you the chance to make a choice. Please take the time to vote as it will help me tremendously.

I'm not a big fan of yaoi, even though I'm writing a story about two guys having a relationship. This was nothing more than a challenge for me. I've read several stories where Naruto and Kakashi form a relationship, and only a handful of them made any sense. Maybe this is why not many people approve of their pairing.

To be honest, I don't really see what the big deal is... So what if there is an age gap? That doesn't mean a thing. People should look beyond that and see that it is possible for them to have a relationship when there is so much connecting them. If they haven't then they must be blind.

So now you know my reasons for writing this story. Let's hope it turns out to be a really good one!

Anyways, I think I've said enough… Hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

* * *

**Journey of the Jinchuriki **

**Chapter 18 – Parting **

Settling down on the balcony, Kakashi ignored the urge to leave. His mind was preoccupied, still focused on the conversation he'd heard earlier. He needed to talk to them, especially sensei. But he couldn't, not right now. The trip to the cemetery would have to wait.

It bothered him, more than he liked. Why was he so worked up about Gaara and Naruto's conversation? He barely even knew the two of them, so why? Even though Naruto was his late sensei's son, they were still complete strangers. Bonds weren't formed right away; you needed to let them built, and that took time.

So, why was he so affected by what he'd heard? It didn't make any sense.

_Naruto..._

The boy was definitely something… Not only had he fought against the demons inside him and won, but he'd helped Gaara do it too. He'd done what probably no one out there could've done. What only a true friend could've done.

Minoru had raised an exceptional shinobi, as well as a good-hearted person with strong beliefs. Exactly the qualities Minato-sensei would've wanted in his son. The thought made him smile.

It was funny how things turned out at times…

* * *

He was dreaming… Or was he? It actually felt like he was wide awake… On second thoughts, no, he was definitely dreaming. He didn't recognise this place.

"Where am I?" he muttered to himself, looking around. There was no answer, not that he was expecting one.

A swirl of sand appeared out of nowhere, blown away by the wind just as quickly. His eyes followed it until it'd disappeared from his line of sight. He was in a desert, of all places. There was no sign of anything or anyone about.

Deciding to look further ahead, he began walking. It was better than just standing there, hoping someone would appear.

After what seemed like hours of walking, he finally stopped. Directly up ahead was a huge wall with an opening in the middle. His eyes narrowed, quickly surveying his surroundings of any signs of danger.

Finding none, he decided to proceed forward. However, before he could take more than a few steps, he noticed movement up ahead and stopped. Whatever, or whoever it was, they were headed directly towards him.

He tensed, his body automatically preparing to defend itself if the need arose. As the seconds ticked by, he waited anxiously. When they finally came into view, he froze. Black cloaks with red clouds were the first thing that caught his eye.

_Akatsuki…_

There were two of them. Before he could even think of looking towards their faces, something else caught his attention. Something which made his blood turn cold.

_Gaara…_ They had Gaara…

Naruto sat up in bed immediately, his eyes wide open.

It was a dream, he realised quickly, looking around the sun-lit room. Taking a moment to calm his racing heart, he pondered over what he'd seen in the dream.

What did it mean? Could it be his mind was pulling tricks on him? It wasn't the first time his fears had come to life in his dreams.

Deciding not to think too much about it, he pulled back the covers and got out of bed. Stifling back a yawn, he glanced at the time. It was two in the afternoon. When had he gotten into bed last night? It'd been quite late, he recalled, most likely sometime before sunrise.

After their intimate conversation was over, he'd made a much-needed trip to the cemetery, leaving Gaara to his thoughts. Most of the night had been spent there beside his sensei's grave, where he worked on clearing his own thoughts.

It'd taken longer than it should have done, much to his surprise. But then again, it was like a whole new experience for him. After a life of having someone make the decisions for him, having to suddenly make them himself was not as easy as it seemed.

Gaara's tale had played a big role in his decision-making. It made him realise that things could've been a lot worse. What he'd suffered was _nothing _compared to what his friend had gone through. Whilst he had someone to take care of him from the very first day, Gaara had no one. He had suffered completely alone...

"Hey, kid," a familiar voice distracted him, "Snap out of it already!"

He frowned, looking down at the impatient-looking pug who'd appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh, it's you again," he greeted him. "What can I do for you?"

The miniature pug regarded him with a look he couldn't make out, before gesturing towards the door. "Kakashi told me to wake you up."

He nodded. "I guessed that much," he answered, turning away to make the bed. "Tell him I'll be out soon."

Not hearing a reply, he looked back, half expecting to see the disappearing back of the pug, but he was surprised to see him still standing there. Noticing the observant look on his face, he turned around to face him.

"Is there something else you wanted?" he asked carefully.

"Why do you wear a mask?"

The bluntness of the question took him by surprise, and for a moment, he was unable to think of a reply.

"It isn't any of your business," he replied eventually, his tone clearly dismissing the end of that topic.

"Is it _that_ bad?"

"What?"

"Your face…"

"_WHAT!" _

He couldn't believe it… The dog actually thought he was covering his face because he was ashamed of the way he looked? The idea was preposterous.

"There's _nothing_ wrong with my face," he answered with a glare, mentally daring the mutt to say otherwise.

"Is Pakkun bothering you?"

He looked towards the opened door, where Kakashi stood leaning against the door frame watching them.

"Of course not, boss," Pakkun responded innocently. "We were just getting acquainted."

Naruto resisted the urge to snort, settling for rolling his eyes.

"If you say so," he muttered sarcastically.

The Copy-Ninja chuckled, blatantly amused by what was going on.

"Don't mind Pakkun," he looked towards Naruto. "He can be a bit outspoken at times, even with me."

"That hurt, boss," Pakkun mocked a hurt look. "And here I thought we were friends."

Kakashi didn't look impressed. "We are," he answered easily. "That's why I fork out to buy you those really expensive biscuits you like."

"They're not that expensive," Pakkun argued, heading out of the room. "Everything's always too expensive for you…"

"That's because it is."

It was now Naruto's turn to be amused, especially after seeing the devastated look on Pakkun's face. Turning his attention back to Kakashi, he noticed the silver-haired ninja watching him.

An awkward silence followed, where neither knew what to say.

"So," Kakashi began casually, "how's it going? Are you finding it okay here?"

"I guess," he replied with a shrug, not knowing what else to say. It was the first time they were speaking after what'd happened that night. It was bound to be a little awkward for him.

Kakashi nodded, looking thoughtful. "I thought we could go eat outside today," he said, "It'd be a good idea to show you around as well, since there's nothing else to do."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"I'll let you get ready then," Kakashi told him, turning to leave.

Once the door had closed shut behind him, Naruto relaxed, wondering why he was even worked up in the first place.

Kakashi wasn't a bad guy, judging from what he'd seen so far. So what if he'd seen him breaking down? It wasn't like he'd mocked him, or called him weak. He'd helped him, giving him much-needed words of encouragement, and he hadn't even mentioned it, going about acting like nothing had even happened. For that he was grateful. It wasn't something he really wanted to talk about.

Maybe he should make more of an effort to talk to him. The guy was a mystery, without a doubt. He wasn't someone you could figure out just by observing, for he didn't give much away about himself.

There was one thing that'd crossed his mind though, and that was the mask Kakashi wore to cover his face. Even though Naruto's reasons for wearing one were pretty obvious, he couldn't help but wonder what Kakashi's were. What'd happened to make him want to hide his face?

Maybe he could ask Jiraiya, or even the Hokage? They would know... Or he could simply just wait. It wasn't like he was going anywhere anytime soon…

* * *

Kakashi settled down on the couch, waiting patiently for the other two to appear. After leaving Naruto's room, he decided to inform Gaara about their plans for the day. The red-head had actually spoken to him, much to his surprise. Usually he wouldn't even respond, settling for nodding his head, and even that was a rare occurrence.

He wasn't entirely sure if he'd been expecting a noticeable change in Gaara, even though Naruto's words had been convincing. After leading such a life, it couldn't be so easy to forget and forgive overnight. Something like that took time.

Naruto's words had affected him in some way though, and of that he was certain. He wouldn't have believed it if someone had told him. After all, it was just one of those things you couldn't be sure about until you'd witnessed it.

There had been a different look in those eyes. It'd been the first thing he'd noticed after Gaara had spoken to him. The look of emptiness had gone, just like Naruto had mentioned last night. It was amazing. Who knew a gesture of friendship could cause such a significant change…

They left together a short while later, Kakashi leading the way while the other two followed.

"So, where are we headed?"

Surprised, Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. Had Naruto just spoken to him? It wasn't like him to start a conversation.

"If it's ramen you're after, I'm sorry to disappoint you," he answered back cheerfully. "We're going somewhere else today."

"You don't like ramen?" Naruto replied back, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"It's okay, but not really my idea of a healthy meal," Amused, Kakashi waited to hear what the other would say.

"Who cares if it's unhealthy or not, it tastes good!" Naruto muttered in response. It was a bit obvious he was offended.

"Hmm," Kakashi agreed distractedly, looking up ahead. They were now approaching the restaurant, but that wasn't what'd caught his attention. No, it was something else. Stood outside the building was a familiar, pink-haired konoichi, who was deep in conversation with her blonde-haired friend.

Knowing it was too late to turn back, he continued towards them.

They looked up eventually, noticing him first before their eyes landed on Naruto and Gaara. Judging from the flicker of recognition in Sakura's eyes, it was obvious she'd recognised them.

Before she could think of questioning him, he gave her a warning look, which she thankfully picked up on. Now was not the best time for answering questions, especially with Naruto and Gaara present. He knew that sooner or later one of his team mates was going to see him with Naruto and ask questions. Who wouldn't? If he were in their shoes he would do the same. Having a missing-nin, who was also a Jinchuriki, and a masked stranger roaming the village out of the blue was enough to make anyone suspicious.

"Hello, Sakura," he nodded at the two of them, "Ino."

"Kakashi-sensei," Ino was still peering curiously at the two behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"Why I'm here to eat, of course," Kakashi sounded amused. "Isn't that why people come to a restaurant?"

Before Ino could open her mouth to make a retort, Sakura intervened quickly, her eyes fixed on him, "We really should get a move on," she said, grabbing hold of Ino's arm. "Enjoy your meal, Kakashi-sensei. I will see you later."

He watched them leave, thankful that Sakura hadn't questioned him. Though she would later, and he was not looking forward to it.

He turned to face Gaara and Naruto, who'd been silent throughout the exchange. "Shall we?" he gestured towards the entrance...

* * *

Kakashi led the way inside the restaurant, with Gaara right behind him. Before Naruto made a move to follow them, he found his eyes drifting towards the retreating backs of Sakura and the blonde-haired girl, Ino.

Coincidently, Sakura chose to look back at the same time. Their eyes met briefly before he looked away. It was only for a second or two but it was long enough for him to see the curiosity reflected in them. Deciding he should catch up with the others, he headed inside.

When he'd finally caught up with them, they were already seated at one of the tables in the far corner. Gaara, he quickly noticed, seemed more than a little uncomfortable, judging from the tension in his body.

"Don't worry," Kakashi spoke, pulling out his book, "We won't be here for long."

He settled down next to Gaara, placing an assuring hand on his arm, and felt rather than saw the tension leave his friend's body. He smiled underneath his mask.

A woman suddenly appeared with the menus, placing one down in front of them all. "Call me when you're ready to order," she smiled.

"Thank you," Kakashi answered without looking up from his book.

The woman left, and then there was silence. Gaara made no attempt to look at the menu, nor did Kakashi.

With a sigh, Naruto picked up the menu and scanned through it. There was no sign of any kind of ramen anywhere, much to his disappointment.

"Aren't you guys ordering?" he looked towards them, wondering why they weren't looking at the menu.

"It's not my first time here," Kakashi reminded him as he turned a page, "You two can order whatever you like."

He looked towards Gaara, who was glaring at the table. "Gaara…?"

The red-head picked up the menu and browsed through it quickly before placing it back down again.

Naruto turned his attention back to the menu in his hand, assuming Gaara had made his choice. As he was looking at the side dishes, a sudden thought occurred to him.

They were here in a restaurant, ready to eat, which meant that he'd get the opportunity to see Kakashi's face. The guy was going to have to lower his mask to eat, obviously. The sudden thought reminded him of his own predicament. So far he'd been eating alone, except for that time with Jiraiya. It'd been easy to fool the older man, quickly downing his food whilst he got drunk. Kakashi, on the other hand, was another story. There was no way he was going to fool him, unless he decided to eat when they got back.

"Have you decided what you want to order yet?" Kakashi interrupted his thoughts.

He nodded distractedly, his mind preoccupied with the sudden problem. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner? It wasn't like him to forget such things.

He barely heard Kakashi calling out to the waitress, or noticed when she arrived…

* * *

After calling the waitress, Kakashi's gaze returned to his book. His attention, however, was on the young man sat in front of him. Judging from what he'd picked up, Naruto was bothered about something. What exactly that was he'd no idea. He'd been fine up until just a few minutes ago.

Gaara seemed to have picked up on it as well, but he chose not to say anything. His gaze hadn't wavered much from the table. It was obvious he was feeling discomfort. Maybe coming here hadn't been such a good idea.

The waitress arrived, a notepad and pen ready in her hand.

"What can I get for you today?" she asked, the usual smile gracing her lips.

"I'll have the usual," Kakashi told her, "Broiled saury with salt, and miso soup with eggplant."

"I'll have the salted tongue and gizzard," Gaara added hesitantly.

The waitress noted down the orders before turning to Naruto. "And what would you like?"

There was no response from Naruto, who it appeared hadn't even noticed the waitress, let alone heard her.

"Naruto…?"

"Huh…?"

Sensing everyone's attention on him, he chuckled embarrassedly. "Sorry," he apologised to the waitress, "I was a bit distracted."

Kakashi observed him as he gave his order, wondering what could be bothering him.

It was then the answer hit him.

Just as the waitress was making a move to leave, he called her.

She paused, looking back. "Yes?"

"Could you please pack our food for us?" he told her. "We'll be taking it away with us."

She seemed a bit surprised, but nodded anyway.

He looked back at Naruto just in time to see the relief in those blue eyes before it vanished. So he'd been right. Naruto hadn't wanted to eat in front of him. The thought nearly made him chuckle out loud…

* * *

They left the restaurant as soon as their order was ready. Kakashi had paid for their food and walked out, leaving Naruto to carry the bags. When they'd eventually caught up with him, they saw him outside buying what looked like dango.

He turned to face them after paying the old man behind the counter. "I thought it'd be a good idea to eat elsewhere since you're not comfortable eating here. We can either head back, or eat outdoors. Which one do you prefer?"

He looked directly at Naruto, as if he was only asking him. It suddenly hit him that Kakashi must've figured out why he was so worked up earlier.

"We'll eat outdoors," he found himself answering.

The Copy-Ninja raised a brow, looking amused. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. He'd been right in thinking that he couldn't fool him...

* * *

Gaara quietly took in the sight of Konoha as they walked through the streets, noticing things he'd never bothered to take notice of before. It felt so…_different_... No one was giving him any vile looks, or looking suspiciously at him.

He knew it was because they didn't know who he was, or what he carried inside him. Knowing that did nothing to hold back his amazement though. This was something he was not used to.

Would he ever be able to walk around like this in his own village? Just like any other normal person?

The thought had never occurred to him before, because deep down he'd always believed it was impossible. Now, however, something had changed. What it was exactly, he wasn't too sure. Yet he knew it was there, deep inside him, burning brighter with each passing second. And it was _his_ fault. _He_ had caused this.

His eyes shifted towards the culprit walking beside him, who'd no clue about what he'd unleashed inside him. As if sensing his gaze, Naruto turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing with concern.

_Those blue eyes… _

He resisted the urge to shudder, breaking eye contact immediately. Those eyes held great power, and they weren't even aware of it. They were the reason why he felt he could trust Naruto, why he'd let him get close. Those eyes would never betray him, never. Of that he was certain, hundred percent.

So what was this strange feeling inside him, and why was it getting stronger?

_Hope…_

His green eyes widened instantly. Was that it, this strange feeling?

Last night's conversation had affected him deeply. After Naruto had left, he'd spent hours thinking about everything he'd said to him. Ever since then many questions had arisen in his mind, though there was one which clouded his mind more than the rest.

Could he really forget about all the hate he'd nurtured inside him all these years?

Part of him, the dark side, stressed that he couldn't. It reminded him of everything that'd happened in all these years, filling his mind with flashbacks one after another. Seeing all of that nearly caused him to snap and lose control. It got to the point where he was on his knees, gripping his head.

But then something happened, something that changed everything.

"_Even though I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must've been like, I know it couldn't have been easy. There's nothing I can really say to take away all your pain, Gaara. If I could, I would. Every little bit of it. You're my friend, Gaara. I'll never leave you alone, and that's a promise…"_

Those words suddenly echoed in his head, and they helped to push the darkness away. When it'd disappeared completely his mind and body had felt so much lighter. There was no trace of any dark memory or thought anywhere.

The experience had left him completely dazed and out of breath. When he finally got his breathing under control, another miracle happened.

For the first time, in a very, very long time, a smile appeared on his lips. It was small and a pathetic attempt, but it was a smile nevertheless. Something he still couldn't believe had happened.

It was ever since then he'd been getting these strange feelings.

Naruto had awoken something he didn't even know existed in him and it changed everything...

* * *

Naruto silently observed the man walking in front of him, noting how he walked without a care in the world, reading that stupid book of his. From what he'd seen so far, the guy liked to keep to himself, revealing very little about his personality. He was very sharp and vigilant, even though it looked like his attention was completely glued to that book nearly all the time.

If he had to guess why Kakashi would do such a thing he would assume it was his way of keeping his distance from everyone else so they wouldn't approach him. It was a weird thing to do, in his opinion, if that was the initial plan. With his reputation and the way he looked did he honestly think it would work? Or maybe it was because he was genuinely obsessed with the books? Though it wasn't everyday you came across a guy who read porn all the time, and that too in public! Did he not feel ashamed? Not by the looks of it.

It was possible that he could be wrong with his assumptions. After all, he wasn't the type to judge someone when he barely even knew them, and he wasn't going to start anytime soon.

So _why_ was he even thinking about all of this?

The guy intrigued him... Out of all the people he'd met and come across, he was undoubtedly one of the most difficult to figure out. Knowing about Kakashi's past didn't help either, in fact it made him more curious. How could he act so carefree all the time, without revealing any kind of emotion? As much as he couldn't help but respect him for it, at the same time he felt the need to know why he did it and how. It was too much, he knew. Yet he couldn't help but wonder.

Even so, none of this explained what'd happened earlier. Why hadn't he hesitated when Kakashi mentioned going out to eat? Why had it only occurred to him then, when they were ready to order, that he was going to have to lift his mask in order to eat? It didn't make any sense.

It couldn't be possible that he felt he could trust him already, could it?

The thought made his eyes widen slightly. No, it wasn't possible. There was just no way. He wasn't stupid, nor was he gullible. It took _more_ than a few words to get his approval, even if they'd been necessary at the time. Maybe it'd been nothing more than an error? With so much on his mind lately, it was possible for him to forget... Yes, it had to have been that. He was only human, after all.

With those words he inwardly sighed in relief. Little did he know how wrong he was...

* * *

Kakashi ignored the feeling of eyes on him. It was a bit obviously _who_ it was. Ever since they'd left the restaurant Naruto's gaze hadn't shifted away from him, not even for a minute. Well, that's what it felt like.

Looking up ahead, he noticed they were almost there. They'd been walking for quite some time now. The food had most likely gone cold, but he wasn't too bothered. It wasn't like he hadn't eaten cold food before.

Making a left turn, he walked into Training Grounds 3, closely followed by the two Jinchurikis. He still wasn't sure why he'd even brought them here, of all places. This place held great importance for him, even though he hadn't visited in a long time. It was where he'd trained his first Genin team.

His eyes briefly observed the place. It hadn't changed one bit over the years, much to his surprise. The dents in the tree left by Sasuke's shuriken were still there. It was the only symbol of the bell test which had remained.

"Do you have something planned?" Naruto voice broke into his thoughts.

He turned around to face the masked, young man. "What do you mean?"

Naruto pointedly looked around him. "This is a training ground, not a place to eat."

"There's no one here at the moment so it's fine," he answered easily. "Even if someone sees us here, it still won't be an issue. We have hundreds of other training grounds here in Konoha for them to use."

"So why did you pick this one?" Gaara spoke up unexpectedly. "I'm sure we must have walked past several others."

"Let's just say this is one of my favourites!" Kakashi answered with an eye smile.

"Are you going to tell us what's so special about this one?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes lighting up with interest.

"My, my, aren't we very talkative today!" Kakashi chuckled amusedly. "I think we should eat first, before the food gets any colder than it already is."

Naruto didn't look impressed. "Do you always talk your way out of answering questions like this?"

He cocked a brow, mentally chuckling at the question. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

They settled down to eat a short while later. Gaara started eating right away, he noticed as he turned a page in his book. Naruto, on the other hand, was taking his time opening his bento box.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I'm not really hungry anymore."

"Are you sure about that?"

Blue eyes quickly met his. Obviously he hadn't missed the implication behind his words.

He waited, eager to know what Naruto would say or do next. Today had been full of surprises so far. Naruto had somewhat…accepted him. He wasn't sure if he was using the right word or not but it seemed to fit. Why else would he make an effort to talk more than usual? Though whether or not he trusted him was yet to be clarified.

As the seconds ticked by, and there was no response or reaction, he disappointedly assumed the conversation had ended and looked away from those blue eyes.

It was too bad he missed the sudden flare of determination which appeared in them.

Before his gaze could settle on the page he was reading, he noticed movement in front of him.

Naruto was opening his bento box.

Kakashi stilled his movements, his eyes lingering on the open box briefly before raising them to meet Naruto's. He took in the determined look in them, wondering if this really meant what he thought it did. Was Naruto really going to eat in front him? Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Gaara had stopped eating and was watching them. Ignoring him, his attention shifted completely towards Naruto.

He watched him pick up his chopsticks and snap them apart before placing them down again. One hand rose towards his face, lingering at the bottom of his mask. Kakashi unconsciously held his breath, not realising he'd allowed the curiosity and interest to show on his face.

Naruto, by the looks of it, didn't seem too phased about the attention he was getting. In fact, it seemed like he was enjoying playing with him. The fact that _he_ was even watching him clearly indicated that he really wanted to know what lay beneath that mask. Though, at that point, he couldn't bring himself to care and pushed the thought aside. When Naruto began lifting the mask, he swallowed, his eyes watching every movement.

However, before he could even lift an inch, calamity struck.

A presence made itself known, which quickly caused Naruto to stop his movements. Three pairs of eyes quickly shifted towards the new arrival.

"Kakashi-san," the masked ANBU greeted him. "The Hokage has requested your presence immediately." He gestured to Gaara and Naruto. "She said to bring them with you."

Kakashi unclenched his jaw, nodding sharply at him. "Tell her we'll be there soon."

The ANBU tensed visibly, not missing the unexpected coldness from him. He nodded once before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Of all the times to be summoned, why did it have to be _now_? When he was finally going to see what lay beneath that mask. The missed opportunity bothered him more than he liked. It wasn't like him to lose his cool like that, especially in front of others. No doubt they knew why he'd done so, as well.

Tsunade-sama better have a good reason for calling them…

* * *

Naruto inwardly sighed in relief. Talk about perfect timing. Never had he been so pleased to see someone he didn't even know. Though, by the looks of it, Kakashi hadn't looked too happy. Not that he could blame him.

They quickly cleared up everything, placing it back into the bag before setting off. This time they didn't walk, there was no time for that. Leaping quickly over the buildings, they headed towards the Hokage Tower.

Naruto noticed how Kakashi had quickly shifted into his usual, carefree mode, acting like nothing had even happened. It didn't bother him too much though, not when he knew it was all an act. What'd happened earlier had proven that.

He still wasn't entirely sure what'd caused him to do what he nearly did. He knew it had something to do with the way Kakashi had mocked him earlier, but it couldn't be the sole reason, could it? There was no way he would let something so minor compel him to take his mask off and reveal his face.

So, what was it then? What was it he wasn't seeing, or didn't want to see?

_No…_ He couldn't think about all this right now. They'd been summoned to see the Hokage, which most likely meant bad news than good. It was best for him to clear his head and prepare for just about anything right away. Who knew what this meeting would bring…

* * *

As soon as they walked inside the Hokage's office, Kakashi instantly knew their reasons for being summoned weren't good. Standing next to the Hokage's desk was the one man he'd been hoping wouldn't make an appearance just yet, Danzo Shimura - one of the Elders of Konoha, and the leader of ANBU subdivision 'Root'.

He looked towards their Hokage, who was sat behind her desk, the grave look on her face confirming that it was indeed bad news.

"You summoned us, Hokage-sama?"

She nodded, her eyes lingering on him before looking behind him at Naruto and Gaara.

"Naruto, Gaara," she spoke loud and clear. "There's someone here who would like to meet you." She gestured towards Danzo. "This is Danzo Shimura. He's one of the Elders here in Konoha."

As soon as she mentioned the word 'elder', there was an instant change in the atmosphere.

"You mean there's another one?" Naruto muttered coldly.

"Now, now, Naruto…" Tsunade began but was cut off.

"It's okay, Tsunade," Danzo interrupted her, his only visible eye fixated on Naruto. "The boy has issues, leave him be."

Kakashi kept his cool, not revealing how much those words annoyed him. They'd been expecting this. They knew Danzo would eventually make an appearance, and attempt to slyly get Naruto on his side. For him it'd always been about power and control. He had no interest in the boy personally; it was all about what he had inside him, the Kyuubi.

Naruto, thankfully, didn't seem too impressed by his words, judging from the cold look he gave him.

"The reason why I called you here concerns Gaara," Tsunade told them, her eyes meeting the red-head's. "The council and I have decided that keeping you here any longer would result in a breach of the treaty we have with Sunagakure. It would be best for you to be escorted back to your village."

"You said he could stay here for a few days," Naruto argued, his tone clearly reflecting he wasn't happy to hear the news.

"It has been a few days, Naruto," The Hokage reminded him gently.

Naruto wasn't ready to give up so quickly. "There must be some way you can keep him here for a few more days. What if you didn't tell them? It's not like they will find out."

"I'm afraid we can't," she shook her head. "There's no way we can take such a risk. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Naruto," Gaara assured him. "I'm ready to go back now."

"But, Gaara…" The look on Gaara's face quickly quietened him down. There was no point in arguing any further.

Kakashi turned back to the Hokage. "When does he have to leave?"

"Today," she said. "Gai's team will be escorting him back to Sunagakure. They will be waiting by the gates in one hour exactly."

"Is there anything else you wanted?"

"No, that's it," she sighed tiredly. "You're excused."

He nodded, turning to face Naruto and Gaara. "Let's go…"

They headed back to the apartment in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Kakashi couldn't bring himself to say anything. The situation was delicate; any sort of compassion would only be mistaken for pity. These were young men he was dealing with, it was best to just leave them to it. They would get over it eventually. He knew Naruto would find it hard in Gaara's absence, but like the red-head had mentioned, he needed to do this. Naruto was just going to have to deal with it and respect his friend's decision.

There was no doubt that Gaara had changed. Naruto had taught him a new meaning to life. Maybe now he would look at things differently and change his ways. Returning home would be the best thing to do. He couldn't keep running forever from his problems. Though when he returned he was sure to be surprised, especially when he learned who the Kazekage was, if he didn't know already. He could only hope they would notice his change and be lenient towards him, for he'd been through enough torment to last one a lifetime…

* * *

Why was life so unfair? Why was it so against one being happy?

These were questions Naruto randomly asked himself every now and then. It had nothing to do with him or his problems, because he knew there were people out there who had it worse. He'd witnessed it with his own eyes countless times in his travels, after all. What he couldn't grasp was why these bad things happen. Sure there were people out there who brought destruction and chaos to their own lives by doing bad things. You could understand why it was bad for them, but what about the good people? Why did they have to suffer? It was so unfair.

At times he felt like doing something, anything to make life easier for them. But there was a limit to what he could do. Well, that was what he'd told himself. It was a petty excuse, in his opinion. It was like giving up before even doing anything. It bothered him for months before he decided to change his ways. It was then he started helping others.

Minoru-sensei had always been against it, worried he would get recognised, or worse, hurt. Even though he could understand his sensei's reasons, it wasn't reason enough for him to stop. He was a ninja. If he wasn't going to use his abilities to help those in need then what was the point of having them in the first place?

With Gaara though, he hadn't needed to use any of those abilities. He'd needed affection, something he'd craved all his life. He'd needed it so badly that he had to question his very existence when he didn't get it. No one should have to go through such torture. He hadn't done anything wrong, so why? It wasn't his fault his father had placed a demon inside him before he was even born. It wasn't his fault he couldn't control it. None of it was his fault. Why couldn't people see that?

It was blessing they'd met though, and he was able to do something for his friend. Even though it was tearing him apart to let him go, he knew deep down it was the right decision. Gaara needed this. He needed to show people that he'd changed. He could only hope they would see it, and give him a chance. He deserved that much after everything he'd been through.

When they'd reached the apartment, he headed straight to his room, closing the door shut behind him. There was something he needed to do, and quickly…

* * *

Gaara looked away from Naruto's closed door, a pained sensation appearing inside him. Was he mad at him? So much that he wasn't going to say goodbye?

"Give him a few minutes," Kakashi told him. "He probably needs some time."

He nodded, turning away. Walking towards his room, he opened the door, closing it shut behind him. His eyes swept over the room, eventually landing on his few belongings stacked up in the corner.

He was finally returning home, the hellhole he'd known all his life. He would see all those faces again; the ones which had drove him to leave in the first place. Was he really ready for this? Was he ready to face them all again? He knew it would be very difficult. What if they didn't give him a chance? What if they tried killing him on the spot? The questions were endless, but there was no way of knowing the answer to any of them, not until he reached Sunagakure.

Silently, he began packing, his thoughts shifting to his family. Temari… Kankuro… There was so much he wanted to say to them. He could only hope he would get the chance to do so.

They were ready to leave a short while later, but there was no sign of Naruto. Kakashi knocked on his door several times but got no response.

"It's okay," Gaara muttered as he turned away. "We should get a move on. I don't want to keep them waiting too long."

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked him gently, his eye narrowing with concern.

He nodded, opening the front door. If Naruto didn't want to say goodbye he wasn't going to push him. His friend had done more than enough for him. There was no way he was going to hold something like this against him.

Even so, it did nothing to heal the sudden pained feeling which appeared in his heart…

* * *

Kakashi couldn't believe it. Was Naruto really going to let Gaara go without saying goodbye? No, it couldn't be true. There was no way he would do such a thing. Gaara meant too much to him. He would show up, he was sure of it.

As soon as they'd left the building, they took the quickest route to Konoha's gates where they would meet the others. When they'd finally reached their destination, Team Gai stood waiting.

"Yo."

"Kakashi, my eternal rival," Gai gushed lovingly, making him sigh as usual. The guy never knew when to tone it down.

"This is Gaara," he gestured towards the red-head. "Gaara, this is Gai, he will be leading this team. Over there we have Lee, Tenten and Neji."

He ignored Gai and Lee's overdramatic responses, turning to look back the way they'd come from. Where was Naruto? He should be here by now.

"Are we ready to leave now?" Neji questioned him.

"Yes," Gaara answered for him.

"I'm sure you can wait a few minutes," Kakashi told him. "He won't let you leave without saying goodbye."

"It's okay," Gaara turned to face him. "He's done more than enough for me as it is."

"Are you sure?"

Gaara nodded. "Before I leave, I want to thank you."

Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. "What for…?"

"For treating me like a normal person," Gaara face lit up slightly. "You knew who I was, yet you didn't discriminate."

Kakashi flashed him an eye smile. "Take care of yourself, kid, and good luck."

"Thank you."

He turned to face Team Gai, giving them a salute. "Good luck with your mission, guys."

They nodded their thanks, with the exception of Gai and Lee, of course, who voiced their eternal gratitude in the way they were famous for.

They began to leave then. He didn't miss the way Gaara looked back one last time. He obviously wanted to see Naruto before he left.

He watched them leave through the gates. Could it be he was wrong? Was Naruto not going to show?

"GAARA!" A familiar voice yelled from behind him, proving him wrong.

Kakashi turned around the same time Gaara did. Naruto was rushing towards them, a relieved smile on his face.

He stopped directly in front of Gaara, who couldn't seem to hide his relief.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Naruto explained quickly. "There was something I needed to do."

"It's okay."

"This is for you," Naruto pulled out a scroll and folded note from inside his jacket. "Don't open it unless you really need to. Read the note, it will explain everything."

Gaara took the folded note and scroll, placing it inside his cloak.

Silence followed, where neither knew what to say. He could tell Naruto was struggling with words.

"Thank you, Naruto," Gaara chose to speak first. "For everything you've done for me."

"Don't be stupid," Naruto told him, his blue eyes shining bright. "We're friends. There's no need to thank me. If anyone should say thanks then it should be me." His eyes suddenly filled with emotion. "You were there when Minoru-sensei died. If it wasn't for you I don't know what I would've done. Even though I didn't express it at the time, having you around meant so much.

I'm going to miss you, but I know I'm going to see you again really soon. Don't worry about what's going to happen from here on. I know everything will be okay, because I believe in you. I know you can do it. You've changed. If I can see that, then so can everyone else. Always remember that, and never stop believing in yourself…"

"Naruto… I…" He stopped in mid-sentence when he felt Naruto's arms around him.

"Take care of yourself, Gaara."

"Thank you, Naruto…"

They took off a short while later. Kakashi stood next to Naruto, watching them as they walked further away from them. When they'd disappeared from view, he glanced sideways at Naruto, who hadn't looked away just yet. It was then he noticed the tears glistening in his blue eyes.

A strange tightness formed inside him. A sensation he was all too familiar with. His hand landed on Naruto's shoulder, pressing down reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Naruto," he comforted him. "You'll see each other again really soon, I'm sure of it…"

* * *

A/N: Wow… I can't believe how long this chapter turned out to be. I honestly got a bit carried away, believe it or not.

So, did you like it? I hope you did, considering how long it took for me to write this. It wasn't supposed to be this long actually. I thought it would be about 5000 words, but guess I was wrong.

I know this story is supposed to be an adventure and romance, and there's plenty of that on its way. So no, the emotional part of it hasn't taken over my story. It has been the main focus lately, but it won't be for long. Things are about to get really interesting.

Please review and share your thoughts. Your feedback means a lot to me, so please take a minute of your time to send me some. I would really appreciate it.

Lastly, make sure you check out the poll on my profile. I need to know the result to decide how to go about with Naruto and Kakashi's relationship. So please don't forget to vote!

Thanks again for reading this!


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